Bottom Line on Emerging Solar Metering Policies

The document outlines four types of solar metering arrangements designed to overcome the limitations of the traditional "one customer, one meter" model. Net metering provides benefits to a single customer via one meter. Virtual net metering (VNM) allows multiple customers with separate meters to share credits from a system, often in multi-tenant or municipal buildings, and is permitted in states including California, Colorado, and Massachusetts. Community solar enables joint ownership or sponsorship of systems for those unable to host arrays on-site, utilizing models such as utility-sponsored, special purpose entity, or non-profit "buy a brick" projects. Meter aggregation allows a single customer with multiple utility accounts to aggregate annual consumption across separate buildings, enabling the installation of larger systems and higher power sales back to the grid.

• Traditional utility metering based on a "one customer, one meter" model creates barriers for customers wanting to sell power back to the grid, site projects, or own systems jointly.
• Virtual net metering (VNM) enables multiple customers with discrete meters to share credits from a solar system without needing physical rewiring, which is particularly beneficial for multi-tenant buildings, low-income housing, and municipal buildings.
• Community solar provides a way for individuals who cannot accommodate a solar array on their own property or who are restricted by legal ownership structures to access solar benefits through three primary models: Utility-Sponsored, Special Purpose Entity (SPE), and Non-Profit "Buy a Brick".
• Meter aggregation allows a single customer to combine the annual consumption of multiple separate facilities on their utility account, which permits the installation of larger solar systems and the ability to sell more power back to the grid.

APA

World Resources Institute (n.d.). Bottom Line on Emerging Solar Metering Policies. https://www.wri.org/research/bottom-line-emerging-solar-metering-policies

Chicago

World Resources Institute. Bottom Line on Emerging Solar Metering Policies. n.d. https://www.wri.org/research/bottom-line-emerging-solar-metering-policies.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=World Resources Institute |title=Bottom Line on Emerging Solar Metering Policies |url=https://www.wri.org/research/bottom-line-emerging-solar-metering-policies |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{worldresourcesinstitutendbottom, author = {{World Resources Institute}}, title = {{Bottom Line on Emerging Solar Metering Policies}}, institution = {World Resources Institute}, url = {https://www.wri.org/research/bottom-line-emerging-solar-metering-policies}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }