If you produce your own electricity and use net metering, the clock matters more than most people realize. Utilities increasingly price power by the hour, and the spread can be dramatic—midday export values might be 5–8 cents per kWh while late-afternoon or evening rates can jump above 25–60 cents on some plans. With more than four million solar systems now operating in the U.S., smart timing is turning into a meaningful line item on household budgets. This matters because the value of the same kilowatt-hour changes depending on when you push it back to the grid. Get the timing right and you accelerate payback; get it wrong and you leave money on the table. You’ll see when utilities typically pay the most, how to read time-of-use schedules, what to do if your utility has moved to net billing, and simple strategies—battery or not—to maximize credit value reliably.
Quick Answer
Sell (export) electricity during your utility’s on-peak hours—often late afternoon to evening, such as 4–9 pm in summer—when export values are highest under time-of-use or net billing. If you’re on classic 1:1 net metering without time-of-use, timing usually doesn’t change your credit value; focus on reducing peak purchases and, if possible, shifting any storage discharge to on-peak windows.
Why This Matters
Timing affects how fast your system pays for itself. Under modern time-of-use and net billing structures, the same kilowatt-hour can be worth 5–8 cents at noon and 25–60+ cents during the evening peak. If you export most of your energy when prices are low—say, 11 am to 2 pm—you’re effectively giving away the system’s best earning potential. Conversely, exporting in late afternoon or early evening can multiply the value of each kWh.
Consider two neighbors. One exports a surplus at 1 pm, earning around 6 cents per kWh. The other uses a battery to hold that energy and releases it at 6:30 pm during a 4–9 pm peak, earning 35 cents per kWh. Over a summer month, that difference can add up to $40–$120 depending on system size and rate plan. That’s real money, not theoretical savings.
For classic net metering with retail-rate credits, timing may not change the credit per kWh, but it still affects your bill because buying power during peak is costly. Reducing evening purchases while banking credits from cheaper periods cuts your total spend. If your utility has seasonal on-peak windows—common in hotter climates—adjusting export timing even a few hours makes a measurable difference.
Step-by-Step Guide
Step 1: Identify your exact program and rates
Find out whether you’re on classic 1:1 net metering, time-of-use net metering, or net billing (where exports are paid at a separate, often lower rate). Check if your utility has seasonal schedules—many shift on-peak to 4–9 pm in summer and different windows in winter. You might find when is the best time to sell generated electricity with net metering kit helpful.
- Confirm on-peak, off-peak, and any super off-peak hours.
- Note export values by hour, if provided. Some utilities publish hourly export tables.
- Record non-bypassable charges (often ~2–3 cents per kWh in some regions), which still apply to consumption.
Step 2: Map when exports are most valuable
Build a simple chart: hours on the X-axis, export value on the Y-axis. Highlight the top-value windows. In many areas, on-peak is late afternoon to evening (e.g., 4–9 pm in summer). Midday is typically lower due to abundant solar on the grid.
- Look for "shoulder" periods that still pay well (e.g., 3–4 pm or 9–10 pm).
- Watch for rare critical-peak events when rates can spike significantly—plan to export then if possible.
Step 3: Optimize your consumption to free up exports
If you don’t have a battery, you can’t move solar energy in time, but you can move your loads. Run heavy appliances (EV charging, laundry, dishwashers, water heating) during lower-value hours so more generation is available to export when prices rise. You might find when is the best time to sell generated electricity with net metering tool helpful.
- Shift flexible loads to off-peak or midday to avoid buying during on-peak.
- Pre-cool or pre-heat your home before on-peak, then coast through the peak window.
- Use timers or smart plugs to automate.
Step 4: Use storage or smart inverter controls
With a battery, charge during low-value hours and discharge during peak. Most modern systems let you schedule discharge by rate period; set a reserve so you don’t run out before the highest-value hour.
- Discharge 4–9 pm in summer if that’s your on-peak window.
- Consider a west-facing array or DC oversizing to boost late-afternoon output.
- If allowed, set export limits or modes that prioritize export during high-rate periods.
Step 5: Track results and adjust
Review your meter or monitoring app monthly for kWh exported by hour. Compare the timing against your utility’s rate schedule and your bill credits. If you see most exports landing in low-value hours, change appliance schedules or battery discharge windows. You might find when is the best time to sell generated electricity with net metering equipment helpful.
- Test incremental tweaks for one billing cycle at a time.
- Note seasonal changes and update settings before rate shifts begin.
- Enroll in utility alerts for critical peak pricing or event days to capture higher values.
Expert Insights
The biggest misconception is that net metering always pays retail, all the time. Increasingly, exports are valued differently than imports, and the clock matters. Under net billing programs, midday exports are often close to wholesale levels (think 5–8 cents per kWh), while evening exports align more with retail scarcity (25–60+ cents).
Another surprise: panel orientation can be a money lever. A west-leaning array delivers more in late afternoon, aligning with peak windows. Pure south maximizes annual totals, but not necessarily revenue under time-differentiated rates. If you’re installing or expanding, consider a mix—south for energy, west for value.
With batteries, most homeowners set-and-forget. Pros schedule charge and discharge around rate periods and seasons. Pre-charge during low-export or off-peak windows; discharge precisely into on-peak. Keep a small reserve (10–20%) for outages but avoid hoarding too much energy past peak—unused discharge during high-value hours is lost opportunity.
Finally, true-up timing matters. If your utility lets you choose the annual true-up month, picking late spring can minimize leftover credits after the high-production season. And don’t overlook thermal storage: heat water or pre-cool your home when rates are low, then coast through peak to free up more energy for export.
Quick Checklist
- Confirm your exact net metering/net billing and time-of-use schedule
- List on-peak, off-peak, and seasonal windows by hour
- Create appliance schedules to avoid high-rate consumption
- If you have a battery, set discharge during on-peak (e.g., 4–9 pm summer)
- Enroll in utility alerts for critical peak or event days
- Review hourly export data monthly and adjust settings
- Consider west-facing panels or array mix for late-day output
- Select an annual true-up month that aligns with your production pattern
Recommended Tools
Recommended Tools for when is the best time to sell generated electricity with net metering
Frequently Asked Questions
Does the time really matter under net metering?
It depends on your program. Under classic 1:1 net metering without time-of-use, each kWh credit is typically the same regardless of hour. Under time-of-use net metering or net billing, exporting during on-peak windows can be worth 3–10 times more than midday, so timing directly affects your bill credits.
I don’t have a battery—how can I improve when I sell power?
Without storage, your solar exports when it produces. You can still improve your economics by shifting big loads (EV charging, laundry, dishwashers, water heating) to off-peak or midday so you avoid buying energy during peak. That frees more solar to be exported whenever the value is highest and cuts expensive evening purchases.
What hours are usually best to export?
In many utilities, summer on-peak is late afternoon to evening—commonly 4–9 pm. Winter can have different peaks, sometimes early morning and early evening. Check your specific rate schedule; export values can vary by hour and season, with evening peaks often paying the most.
How much do export rates vary?
Ranges are wide. Midday export rates under net billing often fall around 5–8 cents per kWh, while evening on-peak can reach 25–60+ cents. On rare critical-peak event days, compensation can spike further. Local rules and seasons matter, so confirm the actual tables from your utility.
What about non-bypassable charges—do they change the best time to sell?
Non-bypassable charges (often ~2–3 cents per kWh in some regions) still apply to the energy you consume, regardless of your credits. They don’t directly change export timing, but they make avoiding peak purchases more important. Prioritizing self-consumption during peak can reduce the portion of your bill those charges apply to.
Can panel orientation and tilt affect my ability to sell at the best time?
Yes. South-facing panels maximize total production around midday, while west-facing panels produce more in late afternoon. If your highest-value window is 4–7 pm, a west bias (or a mixed orientation) can increase exports during that period and improve the overall value of your generation.
Is it ever smarter to avoid exporting and just use the energy myself?
Often, yes. If the evening retail rate you’d pay to buy energy is high and your midday export value is low, using your own energy to avoid buying later can be worth more than selling. With a battery, you can do both—store midday and export during the evening peak, maximizing bill savings and export credits.
Conclusion
The best time to sell your generated electricity is when the grid needs it most and pays accordingly—usually late afternoon and evening under time-of-use and net billing. Start by confirming your exact rate schedule, then align your exports and consumption around those windows. Set appliance timers, tune battery discharge, and revisit settings as seasons change. Small tweaks add up quickly. You built a power plant at home; now make the clock work for you.
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