Yes - you're right. When you pull off the grid, you first use up your credits. Then you either buy additional power from the electric company. Or, if you generate more power than you use, you get paid for the excess by the electric company. I'd have to check my notes - I think it may be annually. If you think about it - the days are longer in summer, so you will generate more power. Days are shorter in winter, you generate less power. So you most likely will pull more power off the grid in winter, pull less power in summer. So things would even out over a year. The SRECs are completely different. And I still don't have my head completely wrapped around them. They are Solar Renewable Energy Credits. The utility companies are required by law to generate a certain portion of their electricity by solar. They buy these SRECs to comply with this requirement. If they don't have enough SRECs they are fined. From srectrade.com In SREC states, the Renewable Portfolio Standard (RPS) requires electricity suppliers to secure a portion of their electricity from solar generators. The SREC program provides a means for Solar Renewable Energy Certificates (SRECs) to be created for every megawatt-hour of solar electricity created. 1 SREC = 1,000 kWh of solar electricity = 1 MWh of solar electricity 10 kW solar capacity = ~12 SRECs per year The SREC is sold separately from the electricity and represents the "solar" aspect of the electricity that was produced. The value of an SREC is determined by the market subject to supply and demand constraints. SRECs can be sold to electricity suppliers needing to meet their solar RPS requirement. The market is typically capped by a fine or solar alternative compliance payment (SACP) paid by any electricity suppliers for every SREC they fall short of the requirement. The sale of SRECs is intended to promote the growth of distributed solar by shortening the time it takes to earn a return on the investment. Once the installation of a solar system is complete, the system must then be certified by the state(s) in which it is eligible to sell SRECs and then must create an account with the tracking platform used by that state. Once registered, every month, the tracking platform will issue SRECs based on the generation of your system. In some states, estimated generation is used for systems under 10kW, while all other systems are required to submit generation on a monthly basis. One SREC is created for every 1000kWh of electricity created. For example, a 10kW system can generate approximately 1 SREC per month. However, it is up to the solar installation owner to decide how to manage the SRECs that are produced. Some states will certify solar electric systems from out-of-state and allow the SRECs from those facilities to count towards the RPS. The map above shows what state individuals can sell their SRECs into. Here is a link that might be useful: srec trade dot com

Thanks everyone! Just to clarify, the whole thing took more like a month - I was just ready for the granite measurement in a week. Then I had to wait a couple weeks for the granite, get the plumber and electrician in there to finish up, and get the range hood installed. Steph2000, nothing like a deadline to keep you from procrastinating! The refrigerator is 18 cu ft. It was inexpensive (less than $1000) and doesn't stick out like the full-size (26 cu ft) refrigerators. I use the freezer for overflow, but the freezer space isn't that spacious. I could see using the refrigerator for drinks or platters of food during a party or something like that. And I don't think I'll ever retire. I love to see finished kitchens and I at least have to wait around for yours!

What a precious baby, Awm! Congratulations! We also have a baby arriving in the next few weeks. My sister is still struggling with the title change to "grandma" and with the fact that her 21 yo daughter is going to be a mother-- but we are ALL excited to welcome and love our newest boy! Spring is slow dancing it's way into our area. Yesterday I went out in a long sleeve shirt, sweater and scarf and thought I was having hot flashes-- nope. It was just warm. Too warm for my layers. Snowdrops are blooming and there are lots of little green spikes coming up out of the ground. And I have a promising second interview next week. I'll be meeting with the CEO who has already expressed her enthusiasm for bringing me on board so hopefully we are down to just working through details. I am cautiously optimistic! Hope everyone has a great holiday weekend full of sunshine!

Awesome, Faron! Enjoy the seats and a nice anniversary weekend! My family was here a couple of weekends ago for NFL, and we were in Row 25 in the upper deck. I told DH never again will we go over about row 10-15 if we have to sit in the upper deck. We needed 8 tickets so that limited our options; then others with us had their own group of 6 tickets. We sometimes get the senior partner's club level which are great, and now, of course, we are spoiled with those! I am up working on a report, and watching CHIvsGB.