Can the homeowner sell power back to their utility?

Yes, through "net metering" any excess electricity generated will spin your meter backwards, which has the effect of selling your excess power to the utility at a full retail rate. On a monthly basis, you pay only the "net" of what power you used. If you generate more power than you used in a month, your utility company will forward your excess solar energy credits to be used during the next month. This allows any excess energy generated in the summer to be used during the winter when there is less solar energy and usually higher energy usage.