Interested in solar power? CoServ can help.

Solar energy is energy generated from the sun.

Solar cells (also known as photovoltaic cells) convert sunlight into electricity. Individual solar cells are connected to form solar panels.

When the sun shines onto solar panels, energy from the sunlight is absorbed by the cells in the panel. This energy creates an electrical charge within the cells, which causes electricity to flow.

Only the customer has access to the “Solar Meter” shown on the diagram, which is typically integrated into the inverter.

CoServ Members with solar panels have bidirectional meters that allow electricity to flow back onto the grid.

• Energy flows from the solar panels (solar panel output is zero at night)
• Energy flows into the home (can be zero if all load in the house is turned off)
• Energy can flow to or from the CoServ distribution system
  • When load is higher than solar generation, we deliver energy (Delivered kWh)
  • When solar generation is higher than load, we receive energy (Received kWh)

CoServ does not have visibility into the actual production by the solar panels or total usage by the home because the home consumes energy produced by the solar panels prior to the CoServ electric meter.

CoServ measures electricity that comes from the grid (delivered) and from the solar panels onto the grid (received). The amount received measures the excess electricity sold to the grid. CoServ does not measure the solar energy consumed by your home.

A typical south-facing solar system in North Texas with full sun exposure will produce approximately 1,533 kilowatt-hours (kWh) per year for every 1 kilowatt (kW) of system capacity.

West- and east-facing systems will produce about 15 to 20 percent less, respectively. North-facing systems will produce over 40 percent less.

The figures above are derived using the National Renewable Energy Laboratory PVWatts Calculator.

Yes. Solar systems can also be mounted on the ground.

CoServ does not currently offer any solar financing programs. Please consult with your installer and/or financial institution regarding financing options.

Once CoServ receives the notification of completion from your installer, we try to inspect and program the meter within two weeks. However, some systems may take up to 4 weeks. The following reasons could lead to an extended wait time:

• CoServ was not previously made aware of the solar installation
• The installation did not pass our final inspection and needs to be installed per the specifications of the DG Manual Distributed Generation Manual (PDF)
• An unexpected increase in solar system installation

Your solar inverter is measuring the production of your solar panels only. It does not consider your house’s energy consumption.  Solar panels are typically installed on top of your roof, and the output of the solar system flows to your house, where it is first used to supply the energy used by your house. Only the excess solar production that is not needed by your house flows through the CoServ meter.

The CoServ meter is measuring the flow of electricity between your house and the grid, either forward or backward.  When your house is using more energy than your solar system is producing, energy from the grid combines with solar to supply your house, and the meter flows forward. When your solar panels are producing more than your house’s consumption, then excess solar energy not needed by your house flows onto the grid, and the meter flows backward. Keep in mind that energy produced by your solar panels will be consumed in your house first, and only the excess will flow across the meter. This means that the number will be lower than what is shown by your inverter, which shows your solar system’s total production before it powers your house.

The CoServ bill will show the energy that was delivered to your home and the energy that was received from your solar system. You are billed for the energy CoServ delivers at the applicable retail rate and provided a credit for the energy received at CoServ’s avoided wholesale cost.

Del: When your house uses more energy than your solar system produces, energy from the grid combines with solar to supply your house, and the meter flows forward. This is the energy delivered to your home, and you are billed for this energy at the applicable retail rate.

Rec: When your solar panels are producing more than your house’s consumption, the excess solar energy not needed by your house flows onto the grid, and the meter flows backward. This is the energy received by CoServ. This amount will not match the output registered on your solar inverter; it represents only the excess solar production that is not needed by your house. You are provided credit for this energy at CoServ’s avoided wholesale cost.

To see a breakdown of the rate and how your bill is calculated, please visit the DG Rate with Buyback section on the Residential Rates page.

Please note that there is no guarantee that CoServ’s DG policy or current rate structure will remain the same throughout the life of a solar system. If your system was installed prior to February 1st, 2023, you are grandfathered into our net metering policy until February 1st, 2028.

Like all utilities, CoServ recovers a portion of its operational costs through a monthly fixed charge called a Customer Charge. This fee is $10.00 and has not changed for several decades. Costs that are not recovered through the fixed charge must be recouped through a volumetric charge on a per kWh basis. Since solar users offset their kWh usage, an additional $15.00 per month Distributed Generation (DG) Customer Charge must also be collected to create a fair and equitable distribution of costs to all Members.

After installing solar, you are responsible for the monthly Customer Charge ($10.00) and DG Customer Charge ($15.00). If your received energy credit exceeds your delivered amount, this credit can be applied to your monthly Customer Charge. Therefore, the minimum monthly bill you could receive after installing your PV system is $0.

Yes, CoServ’s Solar Savings Rate is a great way to go solar without having solar panels. Launched in March 2021, this rate program offers 100 percent renewable energy without the long-term commitment and upfront cost required with physical solar panels. It’s also perfect for townhomes and apartments.

The rate itself is also competitive with CoServ’s Standard Residential Rate.

CoServ has its own solar that’s generated at the CoServ Solar Station, a 2-megawatt solar farm near Krugerville. CoServ also buys 52 megawatts of power from the massive Lapetus Solar Project in far West Texas.

CoServ knows that many of its customers are interested in installing solar panels on their homes.

We want to help customers make informed decisions by providing a list of solar installers that CoServ believes will perform quality work in an ethical manner at a fair price.

The solar industry has changed significantly since we started offering rebates. Our rebate was initially designed to help those installing a new and emerging technology overcome a significant cost barrier. However, we have seen a substantial change in the need for a rebate due to the greatly decreased cost of installing rooftop solar. Adoption is high, and CoServ’s rebate no longer impacts the decision for many of our Members. In addition, there are costs to administering a rebate program that goes far beyond the actual rebate. Historically, these costs were passed along to all Members whether they took advantage of the program or not. As energy costs rise, we are looking at ways to reduce costs passed along to our Members. Due to these reasons, we have decided to eliminate the solar rebate program.