Solar Billing
What Will My Bill Look Like?
Starting in Novermber 2018, you will see some new line items and terminology on your bill. These examples highlight the differences you may see on your bill due to your excess generation varying seasonally.Residential (Summer)
Residential (Winter)
Glossary of Terms
Blended Residential Rate
The Blended Residential Rate means the lesser of either:
- For electric companies whose general residential service tariff does not include inclining block rates, the $/kWh charge set forth in that electric company’s tariff for the general residential service;
- For electric companies whose general residential service tariff does include inclining block rates, a blend of the electric company’s general residential service inclining block rates that is determined by adding together all of the revenues to the company during the most recent calendar year from kWh sold under those block rates and dividing the sum by the total kWh sold by the company at those rates during the same year; or
- The weighted statewide average of all electric company blended residential retail rates, as determined by the Board, whichever is lower.
Customer Charge
This includes the monthly cost of meter reading, maintaining customer records, billing, and proving other customer services.
Energy Eff. Chg.-KWH (Energy Efficiency Charge)
This supports BED's energy efficiency services. This charge is added to the bills of all Vermont ratepayers, and the services are available to all customers.
Excess Generation
This refers to your solar panels' production that exceeds what you used.
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Individual Systems applied for before 2017
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Net metering customers whose systems are within the 10-year window from the date their systems
became operational will continue to receive compensation for all excess generation at your current
energy rate. For residential customers who are on a tiered rate, the energy rate will be the
“Residential Tail Block” rate ($0.147735/kWh).After 10 years from the date your net metering system became operational, the excess generation
will be monetized and credited to your bill at a rate per kilowatt hour (kWh) at the lower of a
statewide average residential rate or BED’s residential blended rate.- Currently, the BED residential rate of $0.137501/kWh will be applied.
- The applicable rate may change over time as the PUC updates the statewide average rate or BED makes a change to its residential rate.
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Individual Systems applied for since 2017
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If the electricity produced by your net metering system exceeds the electricity you consumed, this
“excess generation” now will be monetized and credited to your bill at a rate per kilowatt hour
(kWh) at the lower of the statewide average residential rate or BED’s residential blended rate.Currently, the BED residential rate of $0.137501/kWh will be applied.
The applicable rate may change over time as the PUC updates the statewide average rate or BED
makes a change to its residential rate - Group Systems applied for before 2017
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Net metering customers whose systems are within the 10-year window from the time their systems
became operational will continue to receive compensation for your share of generation at your
current energy rate.Customers on a demand or time-of-use rate will receive credit at the residential rate
($0.147735/kWh).After 10 years from the date your net metering system became operational, this generation will be
monetized and credited to your bill at a rate per kWh at the lower of a statewide average residential
rate or BED’s residential blended rate.Currently, the BED residential rate of $0.137501/kWh will be applied. The applicable rate may
change over time as the PUC updates the statewide average rate or BED makes a change to its
residential rate.This line item on your bill will be labeled “GRP EXCESS GEN.”
- Group Systems applied for since 2017
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The electricity you receive from your group net metering system will be considered “excess
generation” and will be monetized and credited to your bill at a rate per kilowatt hour (kWh) at the
lower of the statewide average residential rate or BED’s residential blended rate.Currently, the BED residential rate of $0.137501/kWh will be applied.
The applicable rate may change over time as the PUC updates the statewide average rate or BED
makes a change to its residential rate.
The dollar value of the bill credit a customer receives for excess energy sent back to BED is established by the Vermont Public Utility Commission in accordance with Rule 5.100.
Franchise Fee
Fee charged to BED by city ordinance for use if streets and rights-of-way. This fee is not part of BED rates and is charged to BED customers based on all charges (except for the initial block of power for residential customers and the sales tax portion for commercial customers). Nonpayment of the city franchise fee is not subject to BED disconnect procedures.
Siting Adjustor
In order to provide incentives for the appropriate and beneficial siting of net-metering systems, each net-metering system may receive the highest-value siting adjustor for which it meets the applicable criteria. A zero or positive siting adjustor applies for a period of 10 years from the date the system is commissioned; a negative siting adjustor applies in perpetuity. Pre-existing net-metering systems are not subject to Siting Adjustors.
| Type | Characteristics | 1/1/17-6/30/18 | 7/1/18 onward |
| Category I | Capacity <=15 kW | -$0.01 | -$0.01 |
| Category II | Capacity >15 to 150 kW on preferred site | -$0.01 | -$0.01 |
| Category III | Capacity >150 to 500 kW on preferred site | +$0.01 | +$0.02 |
| Category IV | Capacity >15 to 150 kW on non-preferred site | +$0.03 | +$0.03 |
Renewable Energy Credit (REC) Adjustor
Positive REC adjustors or renewable energy credits apply to system owners who transfer RECs to BED. If system owners agree to transfer their RECs to BED, the bill credit for electricity exported to the Grid will be a charge. If system owners retain the RECs, the bill credit for electricity exported to the Grid will be lower. The credit you receive for transferring depends on when you applied for your installation.
| REC Election | 1/1/17-6/30/18 | 7/1/18-6/30/19 | 7/1/19 onward |
| Transfer RECs to BED | -$0.03 | -$0.02 | -$0.01 |
| Retain RECs | +$0.03 | +$0.03 | +$0.03 |
Solar Incentive
Eligible customers receive a credit (rate) applied to total generation. Any pre-existing customer (applied for before 2017) that has a separate meter to measure the solar production will continue to receive this credit for a period of 10 years from the date of the net-metering system’s commissioning.
Additional Information
Additional information about Vermont's net-metering rules and application process can be found at the Public Utility Commission's website.
Additional information on photovoltaic and other generation systems in Burlington area can be found on our Distributed Generation page.
The State of Vermont Department of Public Service has more detailed information on Net Metering laws.
