While using renewable sources of energy – such as solar – to power homes is becoming increasingly popular across the United States, there is a growing opposition from utility companies and some state governments. The main source of contention is over net metering, and how this process is unfairly impacting individuals who do not have solar power panels attached to their homes, causing them to have to pay more money to power the main electrical grid they are a part of. Utility companies are also concerned that their profits are being directly impacted as a result of solar energy cutting down on the monthly electric bills of individuals.

Due to these two factors, companies are successfully lobbying state governments to change the entire net-metering procedure. Currently, net metering allows a person with photovoltaic panels on their homes to provide electricity for others on the same grid, which causes their power meter to spin backwards, giving them credit to pay off future energy use. The biggest states that take advantage of solar power – California, Arizona and Colorado – are beginning to reevaluate their net-metering policies.

This has caused some concern among renewable energy advocates and those in the industry because they believe that by taking away financial incentives to install solar panels development and distribution of those panels will be damaged. But according to energy company IHS, the potential changes to these net-metering policies will have a negligible impact in 2014. This is because 85 percent of all photovoltaic panels that are installed in the United States are in states that have full retail net-metering policies in place.

There are much less controversial ways to improve the energy efficiency of your home. By contacting Alban Inspections, a leading home inspection company, you will know exactly how to save energy and money.