Recently the electricity board came and swapped my meter. When I asked why, they said it is normal to swap meters every few years.
The old meter had a spinning disc and went backwards if I was making more than I was using. The new meter is a small plastic box that doesn't seem to care which direction the power is flowing, it just registers the fact.
The upshot of which is if I don't use what I'm making, I now get charged for letting it leak out onto the grid.
Any ideas for detecting this condition and switching on extra loads to prevent this? I would rather waste the electricity than get charged for giving it away.