Working of Grid tie inverter

Apologise if this is basic, but since i dont know i have to ask someone. I was reading about the Grid tie inverter and something that stuck me was "it can make your meter spin backwards when you are generating more than you are consuming"

So what in the inverter makes this intelligent decision after considering the current load. In other words, if i am generating 2 KW from my panels and the current consumption is only 0.8kw, how does the inverter know that it can feedback 1.2kw into the system ?

The grid tie inverter doesn't know.

The electrons know.

If your panels are "producing" 2KW, and your home is only using .8, then your system has a negative potential.

Your neighbors who are not generating, are using power.

They have a positive potential.

SO, the negatively charged electrons are flowing to the positive potential, OUT of your meter and INTO your neighbors.

Most meters are not "NET METERS" they only spin 1 way.

A net meter measures flow, coming OR going.

The grid tie inverter just matches phase. (They can have other "options", but thats basically what they do.)

The idea is the power company is your storage. You are basically selling them electricity, so you don't have to throw away your power or store it somehow.