The Net Zero Secret
How to achieve a $0 electric bill using battery arbitrage - the strategy your utility company doesn't want you to know.
How Net Metering is Supposed to Work
In a traditional Net Metering agreement, the electric grid acts like a free, 100% efficient battery.
Daytime
Your solar panels produce more power than your home needs. The excess flows out to the grid, and your meter "spins backward." You earn 1 Credit for every kWh sent.
Nighttime
You draw power from the grid. You use your credits to pay for it.
The 1:1 Dream
If you pay 15¢ to buy power, the utility pays you 15¢ for your excess. It's a fair 1:1 swap.
The Texas Reality: The Wholesale Trap
In Texas (and increasingly across the US), retail electric providers (REPs) are businesses, not charities. They realized that buying your solar power at 15¢ and selling it to your neighbor for 15¢ makes them zero profit.
The Shift: Wholesale Buyback
The Harsh Math
You have to export 5 kWh of solar just to pay for 1 kWh of night usage.
This makes a "Solar Only" system mathematically impossible to zero out a bill.
The Solution: Energy Arbitrage
Since you cannot win by selling power, the winning strategy is to stop buying power during the day. This is called Energy Arbitrage.
The Strategy: Batteries + Free Nights
Switch to a "Free Nights" electricity plan (e.g., Free power from 9 PM to 7 AM).
The Charge (Night: 9 PM - 7 AM)
Your batteries charge from the grid for $0. Your home AC and appliances also run for free.
The Discharge (Day: 7 AM - 9 PM)
At 7 AM, when the "Paid Rate" kicks in, your system disconnects from the grid (or stops importing). Your home runs entirely off the battery's stored energy.
The Result: Net Zero
$0
$0
$0
Your bill is effectively Net Zero, regardless of what the utility pays for solar buyback.
Want More Information?
Have questions about battery arbitrage or need help sizing your system? Send us a message and our Master Electrician will get back to you.
Ready to Go Net Zero?
Find the right battery system for your home and start saving today.