this post was submitted on 23 Mar 2026
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Who are you paying when that happens?
Also, the panels never wear out or get damaged or have to be cleaned or anything? This isn't me trying to make a point against solar, I'm just questioning how there could ever be absolutely no cost to having it. More in the sense of an electric company rather than private owners.
I don't have solar panels but I'll try to answer your questions. Let's start with why you may be charged for supplying electricity to the grid.
The Electrical grid is amazing, we can transfer power from one place to another with ease because of it, although it has several limitations. One limitation is that for the most part electricy that is generated must be immediately used or else it decay into heat. The more electricity generated the more heat is produced, and unused electricity becomes extra heat. The components on the grid are only designed to operate within certain limits. If the grid is already supplying more power than it needs and then someone starts to supply even more electricity the grid will be in trouble, components will wear out faster or break. So extra electricity that can't be stored in just as bad as not enough. That cost is shared between grid suppliers in some areas resulting in a cost for supplying electricity.
Also solar panels have switches that regulate the electricity they provide to the grid and it's those switches which wear out and break. Solar panels don't need much maintenance or repair but the supporting circuits do.