I live in Massachusetts. on Cape Cod. Mass. has been a leading pioneer in solar energy. Mass. has tried to incentivize greener energy for well more than 2 decades. The energy companies have been charged with producing more and more green energy annually. If they do not meet the state requirements for annual production, the electric companiues have to go out into the public market and buy "Solar Energy Recovery Credits" from those that are making cleaner energy. I have the maximum size residential system on my roof. I have air sourced heat pumps, and an all electric home. We paid $26,000 for the system and it was activated on March 20th, 2017. I rec'd state and federal credits initially, and I get paid quarterly for my SREC's that the energy company has to buy on the open market. If the energy companies were not so blind, they could be transforming their production towards a more green effort, but they resist. Mass. raises the required % of green production from the energy companies every year. It seems that the major global oil producers will get in on green energy before the regional companies do. In the meantime, yes, I have a "net metered" system. When there is no sun, I have the grid at my disposal. In a little less than 4 years I have accumulated more then 10 Kw of unused solar energy. That is a "bank" that I cannot turn into cash, but I can transfer it to any property of any owner within the service area of my energy provider. My system will be "paid for" by the middle of this summer..... 4.5 years. I have not rec'd an electric bill since they jammed the net meter into the socket. My next auto will be an EV. Do I feel guilty sucking juice off of the grid when the sun don't shine? Some, but I get over it quickly when I see the sham that is my energy provider. My home faces 178 degrees south, and the system is on a brand new roof with a 6 pitch. Not perfect, but very close. The heat pumps produce heat and AC. Interestingly for the uninitiated, sun does generate the electrons, but ideal solar production is temperature related. Sunny but very hot climates do not produce as well as sunny but cooler weather. Here on the Cape, our best production is the cooler, bluer skies of April, May, June.. and September, October and November. The infrastructure here that distributes the grid production is in abominable shape..... decades old stuff that is literally falling down. I believe that 60%-75% of homes and businesses here on Cape Cod have backup generators. If there were better battery backup systems on the market, I am sure that they would sell well.  Thanks for your time..........  Go LAC.. eventually !!