powercor solar export limitis cary stayner still alive

MPPT2 always shows better performance than MPPT, usually quite significantly better. Single-phase properties can have up to 5 kilowatts of inverter capacity, and 3 phase properties can have up to 30 kilowatts. Perhaps it is worth mentioning that the stricter export limitation becomes, it will make a stronger argument for batteries. Has the oppressive authority in WA ever given a reason for not allowing export limited inverters in WA? 0000010603 00000 n But I suspect for a lot of people, the vast majority of these over voltage events are simply because the networks are running out of spec voltages. If you can go outside and scream at the top of your lungs with no chance your neighbours will hear you, then theres a good chance you are off the main grid and face much stricter limits on exports. Or, if you want a lower cost method of dealing with blackouts, you can get yourself a small generator. This is assuming that my understanding of what I have read, is correct; that such a system would be permitted, in a single phase connection to the SWIS grid. When it says that you can export 5kw, does that mean you can export up to 5kw PER HOUR? This extra meter adds to the cost of a solar system. The solar installer or customer must have sought and received pre-approval from us for the requested capacity of the generator. Surely the distributors capping what you can export to the grid is a bad thing? Unfortunately, the meter companies and inverter manufacturers cant get their shit together, and the utility meters refuse to talk to the inverters. Residential properties are unlikely to be allowed to use export limiting to install even larger inverters. My assumption is (and I may be wrong after all) that the idea of using my own energy first before buying from the grid is an illusion, and in fact it only appears like that because all the energy from the inverter (up to 5kW) is measured as exported, all energy required by the house is actually imported from the grid (as if there was no solar system at all), and it is just because the exports are offset against the imports for billing, why it appears that my PV system is reducing the imports. He's been reporting on Australian and international solar energy news ever since. And, if a street full of these, plugs their cars into the grid, for recharging, starting the recharging between 1700 and 1800, lots of entertaining fireworks, along the street powerlines exploding. I cant justify the cost of adding additional solar if the max I can export with Essential energy is 3kwh. Export limiting does limit the inverter output, but only as needed to keep the export power below the limit. you request 5kW and Powercor says you can only export 2.5kW) Set a 'zero export' limit - i.e. Thanks so much, David. Actually I made a chart showing the percentage of electricity lines in each state that were SWER but I left it out for the sake of brevity. A small solar system can be financially viable. I am not sure whether it has been explicitly explained, but, what exactly, is the limit of panels generating capacity, that is covered by the federal solar panels rebate? Metered and a non metered version. Up until quite recently, Powercor had been informing a large proportion of households looking to install new solar systems they will have to cop a zero export limit due to high congestion created by exports from existing systems. The solar PV system is connected to the network via an inverter. A 5 kilowatt inverter will never supply more than 5 kilowatts of power no matter how many kilowatts of panels it has. 100 litres alone means little, but if there are 100 litres per hour, this means 100 litre hours of output. The inverter reduces the amount of electrical energy supplied by the solar panels. driving range of 200km depending on ambient temperature. 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. 0000004823 00000 n The whole system of domestic rooftop photovoltaic systems, needs to be reviewed; by both the legislatures and regulators, and, by the components (especially the inverters) manufacturers. If you can export 3kva that means you can have a solar system with up to 4 kilowatts of panels. We respect your privacy and you can opt out from the newsletter at any time. I have not been able to get an answer from Growatt Australia yet, it seems there is a bit of a cover-up going on. A man named Canute, proved that, centuries ago. Once voltage thresholds etc are configure in the profile by the Envoy at install, each micro operates largely independently. So the size of the system becomes irrelevant if you can only export 3kwh (we are Regional NSW Essential Energy). 0000008571 00000 n Though endless quibbling over unnecessary details might keep the presses churning, a FACT remains that Ive been using ever-more-cost-effective batteries since 1980. I was really keen for this system with a battery as most of my power is used at night and I like the idea of power during blackouts, which do happen quite a lot here. In most cases, if you had your envoy shut off, the micros would start and work on their own and independently of the envoy, and in fact of each other. So, I am pretty much left in the dark about whether all the energy my panels are theoretically producing is being utilised, or (which is my fearful assumption) up to 1.6kW are wasted whenever the panels produce more than 5kW AC. Thus if my system is at maximum output, and I am using 2kW, only 3 kW is being exported to the grid. I guess it would be technically possible to have a solar system with a battery but still be connected to the grid as backup. But depending on our network capacity, export constraints may influence the size of the unit they install. Put down your weapons.3. 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. But just note, not everyone Envoy has required bits to do export limiting. Or is the energy produced by the panels but dissipated somehow? As a single example, the Renault Kangoo ZE van (I think that it is the only battery powered cargo van currently available in Australia) has a 33kWh battery, and, To go further, Kangoo Z.E boasts a Z.E 33 (33kWh) battery, 0000018244 00000 n Fronius Wattpilot: A Smart EV Charger With A Short Warranty, You Wont Believe How Dumb The NSW Governments New Battery Calculator Is. Hi Victorias Powercor area: Western Victoria, including a large portion of West Melbourne. While this is fine during the week when we are open, it seems a huge waste of electricity on the weekends when we are closed. 0000038030 00000 n 100% But, if you are really keen, I suppose you could use a site such as PV Institutes Live PV Map to see how other solar systems in your general area are performing: Note that patchy cloud can produce a lot of variation in output. As such, unless the investment pays for itself within at most 5-6 years, IMHO it is not a good investment/waste of money and natural resources. Hi All, There are versions without this consumption monitoring (old Non -s version of Envoy and even the Envoy-S without consumption monitoring). But whether or not extra solar capacity will pay for itself is another matter. The good news is, if you had a total of 6.6 kilowatts of solar youd probably loose very little due to export limiting if you consume half the output of a 3 kilowatt system and can export 3 kilowatts. 0 (Although they will also allow an additional 5 kilowatts of battery inverter capacity.) Long term benefits would be a more energy efficient system. These consumption spikes go past the Solar energy being limited suggesting were drawing from the grid! So the solar inverter has to have its own energy meter installed in your switchboard one that talks to the inverter to tell it when power sent into the grid reaches the export limit. When an inverter is export limited, it has to know how much solar energy is being sent into the grid so it can immediately reduce output if its about to go over the limit. Is there anything that can be done about it? But still the solar companies keep trying to sell it to me.. Notify me of follow-up comments by email. Ill upgrade the Endeavour Energy area from Ugly to Bad, since things are clearly not all bad there. A condition of this basic connection offer is that all inverter energy systems must have the volt-watt and volt-var response modes enabled with the following settings: I dont quite understand how the DC energy from the inverter can go to my home circuits first, before any excess current is fed into the grid. Some manufacturers may have this pre-selected. In reality, the losses will be considerably less. After a major works program involving more than 500 different network alterations and other activities across nine key regions among the most constrained parts of the network, Powercor's new solar connections export approval rate of just over 60% at the start of the year has increased to above 90%. hooked up to an energy efficient 44kW motor for a real-world We installed 4.5kw with a 5kw inverter in 2014. Below is the email response I received from Powercor. Thanks Steve 0418 815 193. Solar Export Limiting Explained -- What It Is & Why It's Useful In exchange, the customer receives a small rebate on their bill for every kilowatt-hour (kWh) they export. Solar connections for industry | CitiPower & Powercor Off the main grid, rural properties can have 3 kilowatts of inverter capacity. But, if you are living in an area where it is required to install a large solar system a situation around half of Australians are in then export limiting can allow a larger system with normally very minor losses of clean solar generation. Real names are preferred - you should be happy to put your name to your comments.2. Definition A low voltage embedded generation connection in CitiPower and Powercor is defined as "an LV EG system with a total system capacity greater than 30kVA for a three-phase IES or non-IES (excluding ESS) network connection that is: There are two options: 1. When a home is exported limited, all the power the solar inverter can produce is available for the home to use. If the transformer capacity is limited, you could install solar initially with a low export limit (eg 1 kW) and then have your export limit increased when the transformer was . Victorias Jemena network area: A small but crowded chunk of North and Western Melbourne. PDF Powercor, CitiPower & United Energy amended or replaced from time to time. Are Tesla Powerwall smart enough to let majority of power export to grid and only start charging battery as inverter approaches its export limit? PDF Installation and connection - Powercor Shane, you appear to be mixing up kW and kWh easily done! SAPN has told me I cant have more than a 5 kw inverter , but thats just not enough. Queenslands Energex area: South East Queensland. 0000029403 00000 n The infrastructure is not sufficiently flexible to deal with this. Im in the Endeavour Energy area. I do NOT have a device in my meter box that could tell the inverter anything about consumption and feed in energy. xref Wouldnt it be better for the inverter to display its total actual potential output under current conditions? 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. It owns and operates the states largest electricity distribution network, and is responsible for more than half a million poles and over 88,000 kilometres of powerlines. 0000004059 00000 n 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. 0000009573 00000 n Yes I do have Enphase micro-inverters and an Envoy gateway, though not enough sunny roof to exceed 5kW, so my interest is rather academic but real. Definitely, thats an inverter that is export limited to zero. I cant see any reference to the NT. I am a bit confused about export. While there are some energy management measures that could help around the edges, I cant think of any good solutions for the typical business. And, when battery powered road vehicles with adequate distance capacity (I have read that VW expects to release a battery powered station wagon, with range between charges, of 700km, in 2023 (although, unless Australia wakes up, such vehicles will be unlikely to come to this neolithic country) ) are available, and, even for the rare ones that apparently, already exist in Australia (having not yet seen a battery powered vehicle in Australia, I wonder whether they are simply an urban myth, as to their presence in this backward country), when would they get charged, if people would only charge them at home? Some battery powered cars can not be programmed to only recharge at particular times of the day, and, so, if someone drives one to work (that is, if and when battery powered cars become affordable to the working class) and home after work, then puts the car on the charger, the drain to the grid, that would consequently occur, during peak demand hours, needs to be covered. 0000004736 00000 n If you are in the solar industry - try to get to the truth, not the sale.5. Does anyone know how the limiter works in this scenario with 2 inverters? 240 Its located in Ausnet Services' Distribution Area but Ausnet is not part of the CitiPower, Powercor and UnitedEnergy . I installed 6.6kw solar panels and have Goodwe 5kw inverter and applied for export limit of 5kw. Michael caught the solar power bug after purchasing components to cobble together a small off-grid PV system in 2008. Please keep the SolarQuotes blog constructive and useful with these 5 rules: 1. 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. Finally! PDF CitiPower Pty Ltd/ Powercor Australia Ltd I have just had a 6.6kw system installed with a Fronius 5kw inverter and am export limited to 3kw. . Instead the home can benefit from a small system, as I explain here: Ah yes I see. Normally single phase properties can have up to 5 kilowatts of solar inverter capacity and 3 phase properties can have 15 kilowatts. ACTs EvoEnergy Network Area: Covers most homes in the ACT, especially in built-up areas. It seems so strange that it is clear government policy to get more solar going and yet the network operators are effectively blocking it now. 0000028229 00000 n ), converting to up to 10kW of AC power, and, the GW5048D-ES provides for up to 6.65kW of panels generating capacity, converting to up to 4.95 kW of AC power, and, acting as a battery management system and UPS, when a battery system (of up to two approved, low voltage, batteries) is connected. After a major works program involving more than 500 different network alterations and other activities across nine key regions among the most constrained parts of the network, Powercors new solar connections export approval rate of just over 60% at the start of the year has increased to above 90%. startxref Very true AL0126. Upgrading the local electricity network so more businesses and households can export excess solar to share. He first became interested in environmental matters when he was four years old after the environment tried to kill him by smashing fist sized hailstones through the roof of his parents Toowoomba home. Victoria network plans upgrade to allow for more rooftop solar exports Powercor wrote back with the following response:"Due to the size of t . Power failure: Homes hit by solar limits as distributors protect Swearing revenge, he began his lifelong quest to reduce the harm the environment could cause. Generation sources can be, but are not limited to solar, wind and batteries. 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? Also note that for new installations in WA, only residences with inverters of 5 kilowatts or less can receive the states, Western Australias Western Power area: Perth and South West WA. I have previously posted (or, submitted for posting), the proposition that what is needed, is a hybrid (not meaning in this instance, a hybrid inverter as is commonly used) inverter that is like a cross/combination, of the Goodwe GW5000-MS inverter (or, kind of, the GW10K-MS, in terms of power conversion), and the Goodwe GW5048D-ES; three GW5000-MS provides for up to 10kW of panels generating capacity, across three MPPTs (strings? Powercor households stand to save even more with solar Real names are preferred - you should be happy to put your name to your comments.2. 100% But youll need to be confident you wont be hit with high demand charges during the evening peak that will wipe out any advantage. 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. Sorry if dumb question. No unfortunately. Furthermore, the sustained overvoltage inverter protection set point shall be set to 258V. 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). When a home is exported limited, all the power the solar inverter can produce is available for the home to use. given that we are working from home all the time these days. So yeah, the Envoy is essentially all you need to configure export limiting or anything else if you have an Enphase microinverter set-up. And, depending on the circumstances of each individual household, 10-15 kW of total panels generating capacity, with limiting export to the grid, to 5kW, could provide better for the months with less available solar radiation, to lessen the demand for grid electricity, peaking on a seasonal basis. ), Finally understand, the article above is very well written for the layman This is disappointing as this would be an easy option to implement. Do you know the situation here? 0000038296 00000 n Most systems have mostly N facing panels, so really only generate peak power for a few hours a day (often 10am>2pm approx) The Good: In these locations, properties can usually install up to 10 kilowatts of solar inverter capacity if they have single-phase power and up to 30 kilowatts with 3 phase power. Its also unusual for a large solar system to have all the panels facing the same direction. 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. The Ugly: In these areas export limiting may not be allowed at all. You could buy a battery, charge it on the weekend and export during week nights. The good news is, even in a worst-case situation, the amount will be fairly minor. The reason why your sisters inverter is different from yours is your Goodwe would be because yours has a current transformer device that lets it limit the amount of power it exports to the grid. Even if you have the Envoy-S, I believe at least on paper there was a Enphase Envoy-S I think I was partially wrong about how my PV is connected to the home and the meter. Would the gateway signal the micro inverters to shut down one at a time, or to all reduce output equally? 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. There are lots of variations to this theme, however. Thanks Ronald! The majority of customers are approved for the export level they request. All these profiles need to dance carefully around the problem.

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