2. Put down your weapons.3. . at night or not enough at day time ? For any amount above the daily export, you will receive our standard retailer feed-in tariff of 5 . 0000007057 00000 n They hid the problem pretty well, because they do tend to reduce the amount of shutdowns. I am surprised to hear that Powercor has allowed you to increase your exports, but that is good to hear. Means that it caps the amount you can reduce your bills for power used outside of daylight hours? I have spoken to one installer , but he couldnt really help me . The Solar installer is telling me that they just started getting 0kW approvals back for about 9 out of 10 requests and so they dont believe they will be able to do many installs at all going forward. 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. So having a powerwall is way less useful for helping with an export limit than you would think. I have 3 x PV systems on one phase. 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. you aren't allowed to export any power from your solar system to the grid. 44% leading sonnenBatterie Evo. Contracts and resources for connection agreement, Vegetation clearing requirements for new powerlines, Registered Electrical Contractor resources, Rapid Earth Fault Current Limiters (REFCL), Endorsement for wholesale demand response. There is not likely to be an Enphase system without a gateway (called the Envoy with in the Enphase system), because this is needed to setup the system, configure its profiles and report production and other important functions of the system. Fronius Wattpilot: A Smart EV Charger With A Short Warranty, You Wont Believe How Dumb The NSW Governments New Battery Calculator Is. As has been explained (and COSTED) on previous occasions batteries are VERY cost-effective.IF you stay away from the hi-tech/overpriced/dependence-creating/unproven battery-systems advocated by commercially self-interested parties. Of course, if you are planning to get an electric car, that has the potential to make a huge difference to your self consumption of solar power. just wondering if anybody can shed some light on the following, 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. 0000037686 00000 n However they have been advised that this wont be allowed anymore. In addition, all modern solar inverters must comply with AS4777.2015 at least. In future, will powercor allow export limit if they upgrade transformer? The reason for this query, is that, in the past, my understanding has been that, in WA, where export limiting is apparently, banned by the gratuitously oppressive state parliament, and, where a limit of a 5kW output inverter, is allowed, for a single phase grid connection on the SWIS grid, a limit of 6.66 kW of panels generating capacity, is imposed for single phase connections to the SWIS grid, and, thence, the limit of panels generating capacity, to which the federal solar panels rebate applies, for such a connection, has been the 6.66kW. I still dont know if they have programmed the inverter to reduce the overall output by a percentage or not. Okay, so that heading may be a bit of an exaggeration, but improvements the company has carried out appear to have made quite a difference. This gives the advantage of having a new system covered by a new set of warranties. 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. Surely the distributors capping what you can export to the grid is a bad thing? Economically this probably Is not viable, as our electricity bill is fairly low. So, if a contractor or tradesman, using one of these during the day, or, another type of worker, gets home after work, and, plugs one of these in to charge, an immediate drain of 7 kW (I believe that it is actually 7.4 kW), and immediate significant drain is imposed on the grid, for several hours, during peak demand. To get your quotes, please enter your postcode: Flexible Solar Exports To Ramp Up In South Australia, Australian Solar Systems Interest Index: September 2021, Why Australian Solar Installers Love Austrian Fronius Inverters, Tesla Powerwall Price Takes A Tumble In Australia, "Snail Mail" Home Battery Offers: Be Wary, New Minimum VIC Solar Feed-In Tariffs Locked In, Glenrowan Solar Farm Construction Gets Cranking. Allows installation but has an export limit. 0000027818 00000 n 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. 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, But there is also the DNSP rules which need to be followed. This could be important, given that we have a state parliamentary election due in a couple of months. Or is there a build up of voltage in the system? 0000001757 00000 n reliable export limit control function as per AS4777.2 to limit the export output where the . We do not prevent customers from installing solar for their own self-consumption. 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. 0000004823 00000 n 0000038484 00000 n 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. The earth is used as one conductor which has a higher resistance than a copper wire. I have seen my panels producing over 13 kW of power when the battery is drawing 3 kW DC power and the battery, house and car 10 kW of AC power. If you are using Enphase microinverters which is extremely likely the whole system can be export limited using the Enphase Envoy gateway. 0% 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. I think I was partially wrong about how my PV is connected to the home and the meter. 0000007554 00000 n Its also unusual for a large solar system to have all the panels facing the same direction. We are on a zero limited export. I realise that Australian legislatures do not care about the future, but, the future is coming, whether the legislatures like it or not. Powercor will respond in one of three ways: Approve the size system you've requested Limit the amount of power you can export to the grid (e.g. Powercor is the Distributed Network Service Provider for central and western Victoria, as well as Melbournes western suburbs. Upgrading the local electricity network so more businesses and households can export excess solar to share. 0000038562 00000 n Weve got a system that can be left alone in my opinion, so adding say 6.6kw and a 10kw battery makes good sense but what a task. 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. The solar installer or customer must have sought and received pre-approval from us for the requested capacity of the generator. Victorias AusNet network area: The eastern third of Victoria, not including Melbourne or French Island. Of course the manufacturers dont want this to be public knowledge and pretend that once you paid for a system you are set for life (yours, not that of the system). Still a very long payback period, but not as long. NSWs Essential Energy area: Regional NSW. 306 47 Is this correct? Its also worth taking a look in case you shied away from installing solar panels in the past because of the situation now might be the time to revisit the idea. We installed 4.5kw with a 5kw inverter in 2014. At the time of the powerwall install I also had the Gateway installed at an extra cost so I could keep using the generated power from the powerwall and during solar production when the powergrit fell out without danger for the grit workers because the Gateway instantly falls and prevent power to the grit. 1. SAPN has told me I cant have more than a 5 kw inverter , but thats just not enough. going back into the grid with no batteries. Please stay on topic. Is this default, or would it be programmed in if the distributor required it? Or, if you want a lower cost method of dealing with blackouts, you can get yourself a small generator. Solar customers who currently have a limit on the amount they can export are invited to contact Powercor to reapply for an export agreement based on the greater capacity now available on the network. There are lots of variations to this theme, however. 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. I have divided Australias regions into three categories: The information below assumes the property is on the main grid. 0000008571 00000 n Unfortunately, the inverters parameters such as Export Limitation are all password protected, and so far I have been unable to even determine who knows this password. Notify me of follow-up comments by email. 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. Households and small businesses that generate electricity using solar panels, wind turbines, or other small-scale generators, can feed back any unused electricity into the electricity grid for other customers to use. Single-phase properties can have up to 5 kilowatts of inverter capacity, and 3 phase properties can have up to 30 kilowatts. Regarding batteries, as we all know from our mobile phones, constantly being charged and discharged, will deteriorate much quicker than PV panels (and the same that goes for phones, laptops, and your electric toothbrush also goes for solar and electric vehicle batteries, unfortunately). document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Download the first chapter of The Good Solar Guide, authored by SolarQuotes founder Finn Peacock, FREE! 100 litres alone means little, but if there are 100 litres per hour, this means 100 litre hours of output. Self confessed newbie to the mechanics of Solar so bear with me. If so, it would make replacing the whole system more viable which is exactly what I wanted to avoid (and such a waste!). (We are conected to a 25Kw transformer, with 5 consumers connected.). I think that the limiter can connect only to one inverter and not two at the same time. The new home didnt have solar. How do I get around this with SAPN , am I allowed to export limit on a swer line in Sth Aust. Providing the export limiting is done on the meter current as described above ( not on the inverter output current), you can generate more than the export limit if you are consuming enough power to make up the difference between generation and export limit. Rubbing salt into the wound were situations where someone was zero export limited while their next door neighbour wasnt. 0000029403 00000 n (Although they will also allow an additional 5 kilowatts of battery inverter capacity.) 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. 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). When it says that you can export 5kw, does that mean you can export up to 5kw PER HOUR? And Set Power Limit to 100%. What am I missing? 0000005986 00000 n It appears the wire from the inverter is directly connected to my main fuse for the house circuits. What made the situation all the more frustrating is periods of high congestion which can threaten the stability of a local network can be quite brief. He's been reporting on Australian and international solar energy news ever since. Was sure if its been configured correctly or if this is just how it works? Activities part of Powercors Solar Hotspots program carried out over three months included upgrading infrastructure, adjusting tap settings on street-level transformers, balancing voltage levels on powerlines and various tweakery at zone substations. 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. trailer given that we are working from home all the time these days. Can you provide comment and evaluation of power tracing please. On a related note, we mentioned yesterday that over the border in South Australia, SA Power Networks is readying to ramp up flexible solar exports in an effort to support more solar installations and its pretty clever stuff. They did say that with future upgrades we could reapply, but I cant find a way to do this. 207 That said, provided the Installer included your details and phone number in the customer section when the SPA was lodged, the solar team intends to follow up with customers if capacity becomes available to export into the grid through upgrades to the network.. Perhaps it is worth mentioning that the stricter export limitation becomes, it will make a stronger argument for batteries. To get your quotes, please enter your postcode: AEMC: Electricity Prices To Continue To Fall, http://www.johnrogers.com.au/battery_charging_noon.jpg, http://www.solarquotes.com.au/blog/kw-and-kwh-what-is-the-difference/, Why Australian Solar Installers Love Austrian Fronius Inverters, Tesla Powerwall Price Takes A Tumble In Australia, "Snail Mail" Home Battery Offers: Be Wary, New Minimum VIC Solar Feed-In Tariffs Locked In, Glenrowan Solar Farm Construction Gets Cranking. We have had solar for 6 years and just recently moved homes. But still the solar companies keep trying to sell it to me.. 60% lagging If they face in two or more directions, it will further reduce the losses by reducing the peak solar output while stretching it out, so it lasts longer through the day. Have I been conned into believing I could produce up to 6.6kW myself, but in fact the maximum my inverter will ever allow through to the meter (and to my house) is only 5kW? Normally it makes more sense to buy a second, separate system, than to expand an existing one. In reality, the losses will be considerably less. Even if you have the Envoy-S, I believe at least on paper there was a Enphase Envoy-S Very true AL0126. By the time he was eight, he was already focused on using the power of the sun to stop fossil fuel emissions destabilizing the climate. This is disappointing as this would be an easy option to implement. Do the inverters prevent the production of energy by the solar panels when an export limit would otherwise be exceeded? IE if Im producing 8KW, the house is using 2KW it will still export 5kw? AC Output Data The new inverter standard AS/NZS 4777.2:2020 has new inclusions to address grid stability issues - a new feature that is necessary to further enhance the hosting capacity to accommodate more solar and renewable energy systems. I have an existing 3.5kW PV system with Solis inverter. Assume positive intention.4. A Decent Battery From sonnen. Three-phase homes can install up to 15 kilowatts of inverter capacity or 30 kilowatts with export limiting, except in South East Queensland where special permission is required from Energex to install an export limited inverter over 15 kilowatts. ), Finally understand, the article above is very well written for the layman When a home is exported limited, all the power the solar inverter can produce is available for the home to use. 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%. But if you dont use much electricity it may need to be very small, as I explain here: https://www.solarquotes.com.au/blog/zero-kw-export-solar/. Plus a Tesla Powerwall 2. ) Has the oppressive authority in WA ever given a reason for not allowing export limited inverters in WA? VAr (var % rated VA) Ill upgrade the Endeavour Energy area from Ugly to Bad, since things are clearly not all bad there. 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. While installing solar panels can still be worth it under these conditions, its a disincentive, increases payback time and is generally a pretty crappy state of affairs. Aside from that, when you have high resistance lines, there is a voltage drop over their length. I think of it like the rate at which water is flowing out of a hose. I believe it must have been set up during installation, but the installer company claims that this is handled by Growatt themselves. Off the main grid, rural properties can have 3 kilowatts of inverter capacity. Where do I find information on reapplying for export with Powercor? If they want a big solar system with an inverter larger than 5 kW, they must export limit the inverter. 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. While I dont know where you are a 4 kilowatt solar system should produce an average of around 18 kilowatt-hours a day in WA. 0000000016 00000 n But you probably would not recover the cost of the battery within its lifetime. 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. ), 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. Victorias Powercor area: Western Victoria, including a large portion of West Melbourne. 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. I had applications rejected, and when I asked there was NO course for negotiation or discussion its the RULES is s synopsis of the responses. 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. This is sufficient to charge a battery, although larger solar systems generally improve the return from batteries.