Assuming a suburban residence coud, via solar power, generate a
surplus amount of electricity, could the surplus electricity be sent
back to the power company through standard power lines? If not, what
prevents this? Please provide details and credible sources.

I truly believe that it can but I cannot provide any evidence. Sorry!

This is called 'net metering' or also 'spinning the meter backward';

http://www.oru.com/programsandservices/billingandmetering/netmetering.html

Laws and tax provisions depend on the state you are in;

http://www.eere.energy.gov/state_energy/policy_content.cfm?policyid=26

Look at the link at the bottom of the page for more information on
federal incentives for alternative energy.

Probonopublico-ga,
I want to see that comment entered to every question phrased so that
it could be applicable!  :)
The great religious statement for all times and places:
"I truly believe but I cannot provide any evidence."

Sorry, myoarin ... but No Can Do.

Alternatives include:

I truly believe that it CANNOT but I cannot provide any evidence. Sorry!

I truly believe that it MAY or MAY not be possible but I cannot
provide any evidence. Sorry!

I truly DON'T CARE and I refuse to provide any evidence. So there!

So there!

I am pretty sure you can do that in the UK

I'm sure I've heard of it being done.

Finding truly credible sources is very difficult due to the tendency
for half truth and false inferences. Some people are doing what you
suggest legaly and others ilegaly. It is my technical opinion that
power generated in the home does feed back into the grid. Typical
meters do run backwards, but some are likely designed not to run
backwards, but the power would still flow onto the grid. Generally it
is not legal to send power into the grid without making proper
arrangements with your Utility. This is because the Utility would be
paying you retail for the power you sent which would allow the utility
no revenue to cover overhead costs and profit.
 If your home has 100 amp service, a net exceeding about 150 amps
would trip your main circuit breaker. It is ilegal almost everywhere
to bybass your circuit breakers. The latter would be a rare problem,
as solar panels (and inverters) that could supply a net of 150 amps
are very costly.   Neil

In Germany, power companies are required to pay about 15 times as much
for solar power as they charge for their stuff, which not only makes
net metering stupid, but it has raised to me the theoretical question
of whether one could use cheap power to run lamps (the newest LEDs,
maybe) to light your solar plant and still make money.
I have also wondered if anyone is cheating  - more likely with the
windmill generators - and boosting their output with cheap power.  I
don't know.

And Probonopublico-ga, I was just joking.  Your statement was just
standing there all alone between the grey (not gray, as a concession
to you :-)  ) fields, looking like THE statement for all times,
especially with the fine wording:  "I truly believe ..."  where we
Yanks would say "I think, but I don't know..."   (don't tell me Yanks
can't think ... or I'll come back with my Aussie comments about "Poms,
 Pomms?")

Myoarin ... Or should it be Youroarin?

(I'm not so hot on etiquette.)

There ARE ways of running low power lamps (e.g. fluorescents) from the
ether and I don't mean Solar Power.

Indeed, there are ways of running EVERYTHING electric for FREE.

Of course, I'm not saying how!

I don't want to be blamed for the upcoming C-R-A-S-H!

quite right, probono, 
first name "put" in a strange language that uses different forms of
the surname, which always begins with the first person possessive.
When speaking of a third person, the form is "hisoarin" or "heroarin" ...
There are some unlucky families with the name ..footin and ..footout,
no doubt as a result of some overly loquacious ancestor.  "get" and
"take" are the traditional first names for the latter.
There is also a family of ..thumbouts, that only became hitchhikers to
avoid other interpretations of their name, at which time they also
started to name their kids "put" in the hope that this would also
detract from ...
Shall I continue?  
Incidentally, you cannot find this anywhere but right here on the web.
 My mother told me about it, having married a "hisoarin" and having
the maiden name "herasstogether", which was a little common sounding,
but sort of appropriate for a young girl called "keep."  Well, you can
figure out the rest ...  ;-D
Thanks for reminding me of the family etymology, 
and Happy Easter!  myoarin