Another way of looking at it is that their utility meter turns forward when energy is used, and backward when excess solar energy is sent to the grid. (blog.aurorasolar.com)
After these upfront costs, solar paneled - homeowners can get credits on their electricity bill through California's net metering program, and even get paid for excess solar energy they produce. (businessinsider.com)
Net metering (also called Net Energy Metering or NEM)-- which allows solar customers to sell excess solar energy back to the grid to reduce their bills — is a crucial policy for going solar in the U.S. Without it, solar adoption would not be as widespread as it is today. (blog.aurorasolar.com)