Want to go solar? Here\'s everything you need to know

Have you ever taken a look at your electricity bill, which seems to be higher every time no matter what you do, and thought of switching to solar but did not know where to start? Dawn.com collected information from a few companies operating across Pakistan to answer your questions about how much a solar system costs, what types there are, and how much you can expect to save. Types of solar systems The first thing you need to decide is the type of solar system you want, of which there are three: on-grid (also known as grid-tie), off-grid and hybrid. An on-grid system is linked to the power company in your city and allows you to use both; the solar panels generate electricity during the day while the grid supplies it at night or when the panels have not generated enough. The system allows you to sell any excess electricity you produce to the power company through a mechanism called net metering, which can lead to huge savings on your bill. On the other hand, you will be completely dependent on the grid at night and since you are connected to it, even during the day, your solar system will shut down any time load-shedding occurs or there is a power breakdown.