Green Glossary: Utility-Interactive

In a way, we're talking about another form of hybrid here. A utility-interactive system "interahttp://cm.howstuffworks.com/article-template.php?step2cts with the utility grid (mains), taking power from the grid to satisfy its loads as necessary, and returning power to the grid when not required by the loads." In green terms, this concept is usually applied to photovoltaic (solar energy) systems and requires a utility-interactive inverter to "ensure that the photovoltaic system's output is fully synchronized with the utility power."

Pardon me while I geek out for a few seconds. A utility-interactive photovoltaic system is defined in Section 690.2 of the National Electrical Code (NEC) (NFPA 70-2005) as a "photovoltaic system that operates in parallel with and may deliver power to an electrical production and distribution network."

The Florida Solar Energy Center is studying a photovoltaic system that will be owned and maintained by the electric utility company (Lakeland Electric & Water) and "the power generated is supplied to the utility side of the meter. The output of the system is monitored by the utility company to evaluate the system performance and to troubleshoot problems. Systems installed such as this one increases the capacity of a service provider and can help reduce the total operating hours required for fuel-burning generators."

Stay tuned...