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From: doug@terak.UUCP (Doug Pardee)
Newsgroups: net.consumers,net.analog
Subject: Re: power meters
Message-ID: <485@terak.UUCP>
Date: Fri, 5-Apr-85 12:57:24 EST
Article-I.D.: terak.485
Posted: Fri Apr  5 12:57:24 1985
Date-Received: Mon, 8-Apr-85 00:24:43 EST
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Organization: Terak Corporation, Scottsdale, AZ, USA
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Xref: linus net.consumers:1558 net.analog:251

> It's a well-known fact in the alternative power community that you can hook
> your windplant/hydroplant/whatever to the load side of your power meter, spin
> it backwards, and sell the utility energy.

This gives the impression that there's "nothing to it" to sell energy
to the local utility.  Not quite the case, since the power you supply
must be properly balanced and phased with the distribution grid.

A local housing developer is doing the paperwork prior to building an
entire solar-powered subdivision which will (he says) have the ability
to be a "negative consumer" at times.  He's been running a prototype
solar house for a few years.

I'm curious what this practice does to the "peak versus average"
demand problem which the utilities claim is the ?real? culprit in
our utility bills.  I'd think it would make matters worse.
-- 
Doug Pardee -- Terak Corp. -- !{hao,ihnp4,decvax}!noao!terak!doug