A science policy analyst is evaluating energy usage in a smart home. The house uses 12 kWh per day with solar panels generating 9 kWh per day. If the grid provides the rest and the rate is 0.15 USD per kWh, how much does the homeowner pay for grid electricity in a 30-day month?

Tue, 05 May 2026 05:41:48 +0000

How Smart Home Energy Usage Impacts Grid Costs: A Science Policy Analyst’s Daily Cost Analysis Managing energy consumption in smart homes is becoming increasingly vital as households adopt renewable energy sources like solar panels. This analysis examines a typical smart home using 12 kWh of electricity daily, with solar panels generating 9 kWh per day. Understanding how much homeowners pay for grid electricity—especially when solar offset partially reduces grid usage—helps inform better policy and energy decisions. Using a grid rate of $0.15 per kWh, we evaluate daily and monthly costs tied to grid dependency. ### Daily Energy Consumption vs. Solar Generation The home consumes 12 kWh of electricity each day, but only 9 kWh is supplied by solar panels. This leaves a monthly shortfall:
- Daily grid electricity needed = Total daily usage – Solar generation
= 12 kWh – 9 kWh = 3 kWh per day from the grid