Gross Metering
Gross metering settles solar as a pure generator: every unit produced is exported and paid at a regulator-set feed-in tariff, while the premises buys all its consumption at retail — two meters, two cash flows, no netting.
Why it matters on an MEPF project
Where regulations impose gross metering (commonly above certain capacities or for certain consumer classes), plant economics change character: the feed-in tariff — typically below retail — values every generated unit, so the "avoid my own tariff" logic of net metering no longer applies. Payback stretches unless the FiT is generous, and sizing optimises against the FiT, not the bill.
The regime also simplifies some things: no self-consumption profile analysis, no export-share modelling — generation is revenue, full stop. For consumers pushed into it, the honest comparison is gross-metered rooftop vs behind-the-meter alternatives that remain permitted (captive arrangements, smaller net-metered capacity), a regulatory-financial analysis before an engineering one.
How it's specified in practice
| Parameter | Typical / working position | Governing reference |
|---|---|---|
| Export treatment | All generation exported at FiT | state regulations |
| Consumption | Fully billed at retail tariff | tariff order |
| Economics driver | FiT level vs plant cost | regulator-set FiT |
| Where imposed | Capacity/class thresholds per state | state regulations |
Common mistakes
- Running net-metering payback math on a gross-metered plant.
- Missing the regime threshold and discovering it at application.
- Ignoring FiT revision risk across the plant's life.
- Not evaluating permitted alternatives before accepting gross terms.
Related on this site
One of 68 working definitions in the MEPF & solar engineering glossary. The buying side of the same decisions is in the buyer's guides; the numbers are in the calculators.
Frequently asked
Is gross metering worse for me than net metering?
Usually, when the feed-in tariff sits below your retail tariff — but it depends on the numbers and what capacity net metering would permit you. The comparison is arithmetic; we run it per state order before design.
Can I choose between regimes?
Sometimes — several states allow election within bands; elsewhere capacity/class dictates. Your state's current regulation is the answer, and it changes; verify at application time.
Standards referenced: state regulations / regulator-set FiT