And for this reasons, I have increasingly seen that it is more challenging to run micros without the envoy which would no doubt be extra code required in later versions of the envoy to enforce implementation of various AS4777 and export limiting requirements that cant be done in the micros alone. That is correct. Many NSW rural situations are limited to 3Kw export, due to the length of the transmission lines. The inverter reduces the amount of electrical energy supplied by the solar panels. The solar PV system is connected to the network via an inverter. But a sub optimally configured grid sometimes forces installers into implementing setting that are probably less than ideal if the high voltage events in the grid were just occasions where there is too much generation and they do want have all generators throttle back to allow some time for rebalancing supply and demand. xref I think the installers like the Volt-watt modes, because if you dont know where to look they hid the problem at your expense anyway. I cant justify the cost of adding additional solar if the max I can export with Essential energy is 3kwh. Select your country/region. It is critical that you install an approved smart inverter and set it correctly. Can I share my power excess with me neighbour? Technically, what will happen is the inverter will reduce the solar systems output so the generation will be forgone, but I dont want to go into too much detail in this article. While losses increase as the solar power system size goes up, even with 10 kilowatts of panels which is twice the export limit, only 13% of generation is lost. I have 3 x PV systems on one phase. Ready for some quotes? If you cant store the power (too expensive) and you cant export it, why the requirement (or desire) to put in large systems? How do I get around this with SAPN , am I allowed to export limit on a swer line in Sth Aust. Export limiting generally isnt permitted. No active system controls whether you use inverter of imported power. Some manufacturers may have this pre-selected. Heres the Fronius Smart Meter that you need if you want to export limit a Fronius inverter it will add about $500 to the cost of the system: An example of how export limiting works You have an inverter thats exported limited to 5 kilowatts. Youre using a total of four kilowatts to cook your lunch, so your home is exporting 4 kilowatts, which is below the limit. ), converting to a maximum of 5kW of AC power, whilst the GW10K-MS provides for up to 13.5kW of panels generating capacity, across three MPPTs (strings? Typically in the Powercor area, the export limit is 5kW of exports for each single-phase household solar PV system. I was lucky to have an early approval, so limited to 10Kw (or due to bad calculation by the approver, 8.6Kw, where he said ALL the Neutral current went down the common Neutral wire, where in fact only the difference between the phases goes down the Neutral (2 phase, 180 degree). Fronius Wattpilot: A Smart EV Charger With A Short Warranty, You Wont Believe How Dumb The NSW Governments New Battery Calculator Is. ), Finally understand, the article above is very well written for the layman Generation sources can be, but are not limited to solar, wind and batteries. so if I was correctly explained to, then I am limited to export less than 5kW (because my existing system will never produce 3.5kW), No installer (or their salepeople) is able to explain to me how the limiter is connected/set up in the scenario where I have 2 inverters. After (almost) three months with no reply, has any reason been given, as to why export limited inverters are not allowed for single phase grid connections to the SWIS grid in WA? Or, if you want a lower cost method of dealing with blackouts, you can get yourself a small generator. This 80% could translate to an estimated 50,000 current or potential solar customers able to export more solar to the grid. This profile also doesnt impose any export limits, because Endeavour Energy didnt require them of my installation (maximum is 30kW for a 3-phase installation, which my one is well under). essential enrgy in central west nsw (Orange) are generally restricting to max 5kw export limit regardless of 1ph or 3ph: 2 x 3ph residential applications approvals cutnpaste below only difference was one specifically stated APPROVAL/SITE SPECIFIC CONDITION(s): Total Site to be export limited to 5kW 3 phase 1.66kW/per phase (and the padmount sub for the subdivision in on the property boundary) Powercor's technical assessment aims for these works to enable at least 80% of new solar applications to export 5 kW. 0000005359 00000 n We have a 3kwh system and are really using as much during the day as we can. Energex doesnt automatically allow inverters over 5 kilowatts to be installed with export limiting, but currently regularly grants permission for single-phase homes on the main grid to install up to 10 kilowatts of inverter capacity with export limiting. So while the article suggests 10kW inverter ( 13.33kW DC) in fact the limit seemed to be 10kW DC ( hmmm what does 10kW generation mean exactly ?.) Do the inverters prevent the production of energy by the solar panels when an export limit would otherwise be exceeded? I have divided Australias regions into three categories: The information below assumes the property is on the main grid. No matter how badly you may want to export limit your solar system, it can only be done in locations where its permitted. Solar Analytics confirms in this scenario its only exporting up to the limit; 3kw. See image at http://www.johnrogers.com.au/battery_charging_noon.jpg. Makes sense but begs my next question (sorry). This seems to be becoming a big problem at least locally. ) MPPT2 always shows better performance than MPPT, usually quite significantly better. Certainly this dumb meter is not capable of sending current from the inverter selectively to my home circuits and any excess to the grid? My guess is that when the Envoy-S sees it needs to throttle due to export limits, it does this by sending the same instruction to all micros to throttle the same amount (but dont know for sure). The installation of solar photovoltaic systems as well as the correct inverter settings are critical to ensuring customers get the most for their investment in this technology. Thus, the question arises; if a single phase domestic rooftop photovoltaic system, involving a Goodwe GW-5000-MS inverter, and, 10kW of solar panels generating capacity, is installed (across up to three MPPTs), would the federal solar panels rebate apply to all of the 10kW of solar panels, or, to only the first 6.66 (or whatever is the exact applicable quantity) of the solar panels generating capacity? The loss figures above are for Sydney and are affected by the climate. But youll need to be confident you wont be hit with high demand charges during the evening peak that will wipe out any advantage. it is, kind of, effectively export limiting. 0000000016 00000 n I am a bit confused about export. Max. Powercor wrote back with the following response:"Due to the size of t . You could approach SAPN and ask for special permission to install more solar capacity on an SWER but I would not be optimistic about that. 0000005986 00000 n Theyd be higher for a sunnier location such as Perth and lower for cloudier places such as Melbourne or Hobart. Unfortunately, the meter companies and inverter manufacturers cant get their shit together, and the utility meters refuse to talk to the inverters. 00@ Oo Despite the low feed-in tariff you will receive it can still be worthwhile, especially if you can shift some electricity consumption to the middle of the day. Thanks so much, David. I have a 14kW solar array running Enphase IQ7+ microinverters (43 of them) hooked up to the grid in a 3-phase configuration in the Endeavour Energy area in NSW, and they currently have the profile AU default AS4777.2:2015 30kVa, Vv, Vw set. A small solar system can be financially viable. I believe it must have been set up during installation, but the installer company claims that this is handled by Growatt themselves. So the size of the system becomes irrelevant if you can only export 3kwh (we are Regional NSW Essential Energy). There are two options: 1. There are lots of variations to this theme, however. So you may decide adding a second system is worthwhile, or you may want to put it off until your current system develops problems and replace it with one large new system. Rubbing salt into the wound were situations where someone was zero export limited while their next door neighbour wasnt. I think is is utter madness that the VIC government is handing out generous rebates of $1850.00 and 4 year interest free loans of up to $1850.00 and Powercor has zero feed in capacity for excess solar power. %PDF-1.4 % Australian Rooftop Solar Powers Rise Astounding, But.. Australias Emissions: Electricity Down, Transport Up, Compare Feed-In Tariffs And Electricity Plans, Solar Export Limiting What It Is & Why Its Useful. 0000038218 00000 n The battery is charging from the DC current which is before the inverter. If thats not a good option, you can consider getting a demand tariff and doing pumping outside the peak period when the cost of grid electricity will be relatively low. I was told that as there is an export limit of 5kW and I already have 3.5kW system, my new system will be export limited to 1.5kW. This means you tend to see panels at the end of strings shutdown soonest on voltage risk conditions, as they have the highest voltage rise being at the end of the string. 0000007554 00000 n Please stay on topic. hb```f``sd`c`edd@ A >hp`86s8::\ MNmOe0pYuR`i g G7@ $n@]A#&S_2.dx f Notify me of follow-up comments by email. The 7kW charger achieves full charge in 6 hours, and one It is just the placement of the meter and the current sensor that controls the limiting. To add to this, in the installer section of the Envoys web server control panel, you can set the profile by which all microinverters operate. 0000009573 00000 n 260 Because people have been refused any STCs for being just a few watts over, no installer will go over the limit for a normal installation. Its becoming common for solar inverters to be export limited, so the maximum amount of power they send into the grid is less than theyre capable of providing. 0000038830 00000 n I will update the article with the information. 0000011077 00000 n Still, few people will want more than the 13.33 kilowatts of panel capacity single phase homes can generally install: The Bad: Homes with single-phase power on the main grid can have up to 5 kilowatts of inverter capacity but can usually get around this limit by installing an export limited solar inverter of up to 10 kilowatts. If you are interested you can read about this here: https://www.solarquotes.com.au/inverters/mppt/. 253 So it is unfortunate that it is necessary, but good that people can still install a larger system and generally have insignificant losses. Im glad to hear its flexible enough to do that. Since in WA you cant have more than a 5kW inverter on a private residence, I believe there isnt actually export limiting in play, and the inverter itself clips the output AC regardless how much the panels are generating, sadly. Amongst other things, AS4777.2015 has some requirements to shutdown on phase imbalance in a 3 phase setup. If you use a pre AS4777.3:2005 the limits are probably even higher, but you loose some other features (like frequency ramping which is probably very sensible to have if you want to be a good grid citizen), and you probably are not supposed to run those unless it is a pre 2016 install. Sometimes Powercor can reduce that to a lower figure, or even set a zero-export limit. The percentage var/VA level leading is the inverter sourcing vars to the grid, whereas the percentage var/VA level lagging is the inverter sinking vars from the grid. I do NOT have a device in my meter box that could tell the inverter anything about consumption and feed in energy. 0000038296 00000 n 0000037419 00000 n The majority of customers are approved for the export level they request. In exchange, the customer receives a small rebate on their bill for every kilowatt-hour (kWh) they export. All I can really suggest is to try to shift power use to the middle of the day and hope mainly solar energy is consumed. As batteries currently operate they charge from power in the morning that could otherwise be sold rather than from power that may not be able to be sold in the middle of the day. I think I was partially wrong about how my PV is connected to the home and the meter. you aren't allowed to export any power from your solar system to the grid. sonnenBatterie Evo. They want to do it there way and it seems my request complicates things for them and I dont hear back, bar a couple. (We are conected to a 25Kw transformer, with 5 consumers connected.). Hi All, If you are export limited, the only way to implement that is with some sort of meter as Ronald says. If you dont get under the covers and look carefully at the logs you might miss this, or think it is a cloud coming over, rather than voltage triggered throttling. Your meter is on the connection between the mains network on one side and the combination of your inverter and your loads on the other side. All these profiles need to dance carefully around the problem. But just note, not everyone Envoy has required bits to do export limiting. So an Enphase setup, without a continuously operating Envoy with not be providing this functionality and likely to raise some concerns in the AS4777.2015 certification process if they did not take steps to make sure these functions are always guaranteed to be implemented. What am I missing? I still dont know if they have programmed the inverter to reduce the overall output by a percentage or not. Real names are preferred - you should be happy to put your name to your comments.2. When it comes to the limiting imposed by the electricity companies feed-in regulations, it means that, at any one time, not more than 5kW (100L) maybe be output to the grid (hose), it has nothing to do with the total over a certain period of time. 0000037497 00000 n South Australian solar panel owners can currently export 5 kilowatts of electricity to the grid but under Flexible Exports, they could export double that amount 10kW. 0000029403 00000 n On the main grid, single-phase properties can have 5 kilowatts of solar inverter capacity, and three-phase properties can have 15 kilowatts. A 5 kilowatt inverter will never supply more than 5 kilowatts of power no matter how many kilowatts of panels it has. . But this is at least partially because when you throttle back output, you also reduce the amount of voltage rise you are causing on your local connection to the point of interconnect which is probably contributing to the issue. If you are in the solar industry - try to get to the truth, not the sale.5. Recent work by Victorian DNSP Powercor on some problematic parts of its network is enabling more solar power from rooftop panels to be exported to the grid. They hid the problem pretty well, because they do tend to reduce the amount of shutdowns. 100 litres alone means little, but if there are 100 litres per hour, this means 100 litre hours of output. As the LG Chem battery charges using DC current from the panels it is possible to go over the 10 kW inverter limit by charging the LG Chem battery in the middle of the day. Or is the energy produced by the panels but dissipated somehow? While export limiting is possible its not always approved. First read the section How Export Limiting Works at the top of this thread. Any ideas of how I can get a system that is actually going to generate enough power to charge a battery? Information on whether export limiting is allowed can be found here, but I am going to present the information differently for both ease of use and to make my boss think Ive done something useful. If that is the case it seems counter intuitive to me as I dont know if demand will outstrip production until I actually turn the appliance (eg A/C) on and check the display. And, no matter how powerful, the members of the legislatures imagine themselves to be, and, no matter how trump-like, they are, they can not stop the future. 0000037764 00000 n (Or at least it will be expensive to set up well. 5kW times the number of hours is the total production over that time. No-one seems to have replied Dirk, so I will try. Great article and content on this website Off the main grid, rural properties can have 3 kilowatts of inverter capacity. 0000004059 00000 n So my understanding of the info above is that my inverter will increase production in unison with demand until it hits 5kw? An Update: I just had system installed 4 days ago in the Energex DNSP and suggest the above is perhaps not quite correct.

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