The Net Metering Program offers Holland Board of Public Works (HBPW) electric customers the opportunity to support environmentally friendly fuel sources. It enables customers who generate electricity using renewable energy sources to connect to the electric utility grid and to send electricity back to the grid at times when their generation exceeds their own use. The customer receives a credit for the “Net Excess Generation” and can use these credits to offset their electric consumption supplied by the HBPW.
The Net Metering brochure, 
What You Need to Know About Net Metering offers details on the Net Metering Program and customer participation.
The following topics provide additional details about the Net Metering Program and customer participation:
Eligibility
Customers must meet the following criteria to be eligible for net metering:
(1) To participate in the Net Metering Program, a customer must be an HBPW electric customer.
(2) Only qualified renewable energy sources are eligible to participate in the Net Metering Program. These sources are solar, wind, biomass, hydro, geothermal or other approved renewable resources.
(3) The nameplate capacity of the renewable generator may not exceed 30 kilowatts (kW)
(4) The renewable generator may not be sized to exceed the customer’s annual electricity needs.
(5) Customers using biomass may not blend it with any type of fossil fuel.
Enrollment
Customers who wish to participate in the Net Metering Program must meet the Customer Owned Generation Interconnection Policy as well as the Electric Generator Interconnection Requirements for projects with aggregate generator output less than 30 kW. The Generator Interconnection Requirements document outlines the process, requirements, and agreements used to install or modify generation projects with aggregate capacity ratings less than 30 kW and designed to operate in parallel with the utility electric system.
Technical requirements (data, equipment, relaying, telemetry, metering) are defined according to type of generation, location of the interconnection, and mode of operation (flow-back or non-flow-back) The process is designed to provide an expeditious interconnection to the utility’s electric system that is both safe and reliable.
To start the Net Metering application process, the customer must request an interconnection study by completing the Interconnection Application found in the Electric Generator Interconnection Requirements. The application fee is published in the HBPW Fee Schedule. In addition, the customer must complete and send to HBPW the 
Net Metering Application Form to ensure the proper metering configuration is installed that will enable the customer to receive “Net Excess Generation Credits.”
After Holland BPW has completed the interconnection study and approved the proposed interconnection and net metering project, the customer will be required to enter into an “Interconnection and Operating Agreement.” The customer is responsible for any costs associated with the interconnection.
Generator and Generator Interconnection Requirements
Generator Requirements – The customer’s electric generator must be fueled by a qualified renewable energy source; solar, wind, biomass, hydro, geothermal or other approved renewable resources.
The generator must be located on the customer’s premises and serving only the customer’s premises. For nondispatchable generators, the nameplate rating of the generator shall not exceed 30 kW in aggregate and may not exceed the customer’s annual energy needs, measured in kWh. The customer is required to provide the company with a capacity rating in kW for the generating unit and a projected monthly and annual kilowatt-hour output of the generator unit when completing the company’s Net Metering Application.
Interconnection Requirements – Customers must meet approved interconnection requirements before participating in this program.
Metering Requirements
HBPW’s Net Metering Program requires that the customer have an electronic bi-directional billing meter and a separate generation meter. These meters will ensure that the customer receives the proper credits for electric generation in excess of their consumption. All metering equipment must meet the company’s standard specifications and requirements and will be furnished, installed, read, maintained, and owned by HBPW.
Billing
Participating customers will continue to be billed based on the total amount of electricity used. The bill will also include a generation credit in the applicable billing period for the output of their generator. Net Excess Generation (NEG) Credits for the electricity generated over the current month’s consumption will be carried over to the next billing period.
Net-Metering Program customers applies to customers on Rate A, B, C, F, H or M.
No refunds will be made for any customer contribution under this tariff or for any other costs incurred by the customer in connection with the Net Metering Program
Net Excess Generation Credits
Net Excess Generation (NEG) Credit is the amount of electricity generated by a Net Metering participant using a renewable energy source, in excess of the customer’s own electric metered use in any billing month.
One NEG Credit equals the Energy Charge portion of the energy charge – of one kilowatt-hour of electricity as shown on the customer’s rate schedule.
The HBPW will calculate the average annual consumption for the customer. The customer will not be allowed to carry a NEG Credit totaling more than the three-month annual average. Any NEG credit that totals more than the three-month annual average will be reset to the lesser of the three-month annual average, or the generator size, and the excess credit will be forfeited.
NEG Credits are nontransferable.
If a customer terminates participation in the Net Metering Program, NEG Credits will be applied to the customer’s final bill. Any remaining credits will be forfeited.
Program Availability
The Net Metering Program is voluntary and is available on a first-come, first-serve basis until the nameplate capacity of all participating generators is equal to the maximum program limit of 1.0% of the HBPW’s system peak demand for all customers during the previous calendar year.
Program Termination
HBPW may terminate a customer’s participation in the Net Metering Program if the customer’s facilities are causing a safety concern or if the customer’s facilities are not in compliance with the Generator Interconnection Standards.
Customers may terminate their participation in the Net Metering Program at any time for any reason with sixty days’ notice.