Production Meter

A production meter is a dedicated electric meter that measures the total electricity generated by a solar system, independent of how much is consumed on-site or sent to the grid. It is separate from the utility’s bidirectional meter, which tracks net energy flow.

Production meters are required in some states and utility territories, particularly where solar incentives (like SRECs or performance-based incentives) are paid based on actual system production rather than net metering credits. The production meter is typically installed between the inverter and the main electrical panel and records every kilowatt-hour the system generates, regardless of whether that energy powers your home or flows to the grid. Some utilities or incentive programs provide a revenue-grade production meter at no cost, while others require the homeowner or installer to purchase one. In many modern systems, the inverter’s built-in monitoring serves as a de facto production meter — some incentive programs accept inverter data as proof of production in lieu of a separate meter. Check with your utility and incentive programs to determine if a dedicated production meter is required for your installation.