This one has been on my mind for a while now... I recently installed rooftop solar panels with micro-inverters. While I was informed I would be using the solar power first, and any remaining needs would come from the grid, as well as sending any excess to the grid, I didn't really understand it. Now that I'm using the system, I can clearly see (by watching the meter) that I truly do use the solar power first. This raises a plethera of questions, some of which are:
- If I have two sources of power which are phase synced, why aren't they consumed at equal rates?
- In my mind, the utility power source is monsterous compared to my solar panels, how is it they 'overpower' the grid source to actually push power onto the grid?
- What would happen if solar generation exceeded power consumption on the entire grid?
However, as the title indicates, right now I'm mostly curious on how I'm consuming my solar power before consuming any grid power... Must be magic ;)