When a home is exported limited, all the power the solar inverter can produce is available for the home to use. In exchange, the customer receives a small rebate on their bill for every kilowatt-hour (kWh) they export. 260 I have divided Australias regions into three categories: The information below assumes the property is on the main grid. So yeah, the Envoy is essentially all you need to configure export limiting or anything else if you have an Enphase microinverter set-up. 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). 2. 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 MSO helps us manage and keep our network safe for solar customers. Enter your postcode now. Your dedicated meter will inform the inverter, and it will immediately reduce the power, so it doesnt exceed 5 kilowatts1. What inverter do you have? 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. endstream endobj 307 0 obj <>/Metadata 15 0 R/Pages 14 0 R/StructTreeRoot 17 0 R/Type/Catalog/ViewerPreferences<>>> endobj 308 0 obj <. I installed 6.6kw solar panels and have Goodwe 5kw inverter and applied for export limit of 5kw. We are in an area where only about 20% of the homes have solar. At times MPPT1 is at 600 odd watts while MPPT2 is at 2500 odd watts. Means that it caps the amount you can reduce your bills for power used outside of daylight hours? This is sufficient to charge a battery, although larger solar systems generally improve the return from batteries. Residential properties are unlikely to be allowed to use export limiting to install even larger inverters. Its also unusual for a large solar system to have all the panels facing the same direction. 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. There are versions without this consumption monitoring (old Non -s version of Envoy and even the Envoy-S without consumption monitoring). 0000038562 00000 n 3. 1. And doing so potentially puts you running in a non compliant state. 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. 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. Assume positive intention.4. About CitiPower and Powercor FACT SHEET: SOLAR EXPORT APPROVAL Set appliances to use your solar power Maintenance and safety checks are important Generation sources can be, but are not limited to solar, wind and batteries. 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, (Image from Finns Tesla App). Economically this probably Is not viable, as our electricity bill is fairly low. I suspect that it is likely, that that they are all signaled equally, not in truth I dont know for sure. This could be important, given that we have a state parliamentary election due in a couple of months. Good question Tony. Thats a huge jump and even a smidge higher than the Powercor network wide average of 89%. Put down your weapons.3. While there are some energy management measures that could help around the edges, I cant think of any good solutions for the typical business. 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. Rooftop solar works by turning sunlight into electric power. The new home didnt have solar. 1. For example, if you are export limited, only the Envoy-S with consumption monitoring can provide this. It appears the wire from the inverter is directly connected to my main fuse for the house circuits. 0000004823 00000 n the system is set to export the maximum amount of power approved in our Solar Export Pre-Approval to you your obligations as the owner and operator of an 'embedded generator' exporting . Have a good christmas. If you are export limited, the only way to implement that is with some sort of meter as Ronald says. Michael caught the solar power bug after purchasing components to cobble together a small off-grid PV system in 2008. Where do I find information on reapplying for export with Powercor? The 7kW charger achieves full charge in 6 hours, and one Youre using a total of four kilowatts to cook your lunch, so your home is exporting 4 kilowatts, which is below the limit. Please keep the SolarQuotes blog constructive and useful with these 5 rules: 1. What am I missing? So if an inverter that is export limited to 5 kilowatts is providing 8 kilowatts of power, none of it will go to waste provided the home is consuming at least 3 kilowatts at the time. Is it the 6.66 kW, as the 1.3 overload factor of a 5kW inverter, or, is it the maximum allowed (by the manufacturer) panels generating capacity, for an inverter that is allowed by a state/territory government? Thank you. 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? 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. But I will warn you, even with the high cost of grid electricity and the low solar feed-in tariff in Western Australia, batteries normally wont pay for themselves. We might still be willing to do this all the same, from an environmental viewpoint. If so, it would make replacing the whole system more viable which is exactly what I wanted to avoid (and such a waste!). given that we are working from home all the time these days. If you are using Enphase microinverters which is extremely likely the whole system can be export limited using the Enphase Envoy gateway. 240 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. 100% Website link shows system producing well over 10 kW. Im afraid in a typical situation the inverter wont show its potential output. See image at http://www.johnrogers.com.au/battery_charging_noon.jpg, CORRECTION: My 13.25 kW system will not go above the 10 kW inverter limit unless my house battery is charging and then it can go to 13.25 kW. IE if Im producing 8KW, the house is using 2KW it will still export 5kw? 0000005359 00000 n Hi i want to install solar with no power A 5 kilowatt inverter will never supply more than 5 kilowatts of power no matter how many kilowatts of panels it has. %PDF-1.4 % 100% Single-phase properties can install inverter capacity up to 5 kilowatts while 3 phase properties can install up to 30 kilowatts. Quotes vary and the deal has to be value/advantage logical or whats the point. We have had solar for 6 years and just recently moved homes. I have an existing 3.5kW PV system with Solis inverter. The following is a list of the areas in case youve been missed. Generally however, I can advise that Powercor intends to upgrade the network over the next 5 years, starting in January, however, the specifics of where upgrades are happening and the order has not been decided. The Ugly: In these areas export limiting may not be allowed at all. Typically in the Powercor area, the export limit is 5kW of exports for each single-phase household solar PV system. See image at http://www.johnrogers.com.au/battery_charging_noon.jpg. But depending on our network capacity, export constraints may influence the size of the unit they install. For example, our Solar Enablement program is intended to allow more customers to connect a 5kVa solar PV system with export capacity. They hid the problem pretty well, because they do tend to reduce the amount of shutdowns. 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. 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. So if your home isnt currently drawing power you wont know from looking at the display if its capable of producing the maximum 5 kilowatts or if it cant provide more than 3 kilowatts. Although my testing shows that the micros technically operate quite independently, it is important to understand, only the Envoy can provide some critical components to a properly working Enphase System. 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). You could have mentioned that SWER stands for Single Wire Earth Return and why that matters. 0000004059 00000 n Thanks. 0000027694 00000 n To me it does not quite make sense as no system can produce 100% of its capacity meaning my existing 3.5kW will never produce full 3.5kW (on a good day, I am lucky to get 2.5kW). Powercor's technical assessment aims for these works to enable at least 80% of new solar applications to export 5 kW. startxref 5 kilowatt inverter + 6.6 kilowatts of solar panels (no export limiting): 0%, 6 kilowatt inverter + 8 kilowatts of solar panels: 4% loss, 7 kilowatt inverter + 9 kilowatts of solar panels: 8% loss, 8 kilowatt inverter + 10 kilowatts of solar panels: 13% loss, So, on the one hand, the Victorian Government is. Thanks for the information. 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. 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. 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. 0000037380 00000 n If you are in the solar industry - try to get to the truth, not the sale.5. 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. 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. It is just the placement of the meter and the current sensor that controls the limiting. I havent made any applications yet, but Ill certainly be asking this question when I get quotes!. I am surprised to hear that Powercor has allowed you to increase your exports, but that is good to hear. Ready for some quotes? 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. 0000009027 00000 n 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 ?.) Were continually investing in our networks and aim to keep customers informed if additional export capacity becomes available in their area. I have noticed that one string seems to be performing well under the performance of the slightly smaller string. 0000037497 00000 n 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. 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. Youll also start receiving the SolarQuotes weekly newsletter, keeping you up to date on all the latest developments on Australias solar scene. Some say so you want to replace your system? Select the AS/NZS 4777.2:2020 Australia A setting. All is explained here: http://www.solarquotes.com.au/blog/kw-and-kwh-what-is-the-difference/, ( 5kW per hour is a non-sensical unit unless you want to describe an acceleration of energy! So what goes throgh the meter, in either direction, is the difference between what you generate and what you use. We do not prevent customers from installing solar for their own self-consumption. Im on a swer line in rural south Australia. Very true AL0126. 0000001757 00000 n While the Envoy is an important part of the system, the micros largely operate independently of the Envoy, and in a lot of cases can work without the Envoy at all. The data has 5KW flat lining confirming more is being generated. If you are in the solar industry - try to get to the truth, not the sale.5. Im trying to get some unbiased advice on whether or not we should add more solar. Please stay on topic. When a home is exported limited, all the power the solar inverter can produce is available for the home to use. 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. 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%. 306 47 Hi All. So far I have not seen much more than 5kW DC anyway, but in summer I would expect to see a curve thats flattened at the top during the high sun phase, as it is cut off by the inverter. Now, such a hybrid inverter, as I previously submitted as a post, as being needed, would have the capability of providing for up to 10kW of panels generating capacity, and, of power conversion of up to 10kW, to provide for up to 5kW to provide for charging a battery system, and, the other 5kW to provide for the household load and with surplus (to the household load, out of the 5kW provision) being exported to the grid. 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. Put down your weapons.3. Then the information that was left was cut to make the piece more introductory, but perhaps all these reductions made the article like my favorite World War II movie Abridged Too Far. 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. You could contact Powercor and explain your situation, but I suspect theyll say you need to be an installer to check if an increase in export capability is available. 0000008571 00000 n 253 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. I got a question about export limiter that I hope to get some answers from the community. 0000001260 00000 n The solar PV system is connected to the network via an inverter. Ill upgrade the Endeavour Energy area from Ugly to Bad, since things are clearly not all bad there. 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. However they have been advised that this wont be allowed anymore. 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. Still a very long payback period, but not as long. 0% 0000006578 00000 n I have 3 x PV systems on one phase. It is delivering 8 kilowatts of solar power. 4. Even if you have the Envoy-S, I believe at least on paper there was a Enphase Envoy-S So having a powerwall is way less useful for helping with an export limit than you would think. In my case, I have N & W facing panels, My inverters clip to 5Kw for a few hours, but I can still export a reasonable amount. hb```f``sd`c`edd@ A >hp`86s8::\ MNmOe0pYuR`i g G7@ $n@]A#&S_2.dx f 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. I was always of the belief that a 5kW inverter limited the total output/ production from my 6.5kW solar system to 5 kW, irrespective of what is being used in the house. We respect your privacy and you can opt out from the newsletter at any time. (Note: it is possible to install a larger system, say 10kW on a single phase property and meet the Powercor rules by export limiting the system . 0000017636 00000 n Select your country/region. This extra meter adds to the cost of a solar system. As far as I know, only solar installers can apply for export capacity in the Powercor area. Sometimes Powercor can reduce that to a lower figure, or even set a zero-export limit. Im in regional WA with a rural 2 phase supply. Export limiting does limit the inverter output, but only as needed to keep the export power below the limit. Under another option to . As your sister can presumably export as much power as her solar inverter can produce it wouldnt need this device. Aside from that, when you have high resistance lines, there is a voltage drop over their length. In writing I was advised: But, now, Goodwe have the GW5000-MS inverter, which, from what I have read, is apparently allowed in WA, for a single phase SWIS grid connection, and, that inverter is a 5kW inverter, that has a maximum panels generating capacity; 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. Fronius Wattpilot: A Smart EV Charger With A Short Warranty, You Wont Believe How Dumb The NSW Governments New Battery Calculator Is. 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. Anyway you are probably not supposed to be messing around with the profiles without agreement of your DNSP.