As a general rule, 5kW tends to be the upper system size limit for single-phase connections, but some networks allow up to 10kW. ), Finally understand, the article above is very well written for the layman 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? If at any moment in time you are generating more solar electricity than you need, the excess is exported to the grid. Very true AL0126. (Although they will also allow an additional 5 kilowatts of battery inverter capacity.) Put down your weapons.3. 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. %%EOF Western Australia Horizon Power area: Regional Western Australia. We just applied for pre-approval from Powercor and were given a 0kW export approval which is going to make almost anything we choose uneconomical. This seems to be becoming a big problem at least locally. 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. The battery is charging from the DC current which is before the inverter. The inverter reduces the amount of electrical energy supplied by the solar panels. Its only possible to go larger with a zero export limit: https://www.powerwater.com.au/customers/power/solar-power-systems/pv-class-requirements. I think I was partially wrong about how my PV is connected to the home and the meter. 100% 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. 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. If so, it would make replacing the whole system more viable which is exactly what I wanted to avoid (and such a waste!). 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. Thanks for the information. The earth is used as one conductor which has a higher resistance than a copper wire. ACTs EvoEnergy Network Area: Covers most homes in the ACT, especially in built-up areas. I could not convince him that I knew what I was talking about! Theres more good news, with further improvements to come. Queenslands Ergon network area: All of Queensland on the main grid outside of South East Queensland. xref 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. I have 3 x PV systems on one phase. They did say that with future upgrades we could reapply, but I cant find a way to do this. 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. But there is also the DNSP rules which need to be followed. But depending on our network capacity, export constraints may influence the size of the unit they install. Voltage (V) measured at inverter terminals About 50%. It is possible to max out the 10 kW inverter capacity with my Tesla, house load and Heat Pump hot water. 0000009027 00000 n 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? All these profiles need to dance carefully around the problem. 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? Finally, there are profiles for other countries that run 220-240V networks, and its remarkable how many of them use the older AS4777.3:2005 standard in their countries, because for many of these countries, this is the only profile the Envoy offers. How is export limited for micro-inverters? Assume positive intention.4. Below is the email response I received from Powercor. But still the solar companies keep trying to sell it to me.. 0% Youll also start receiving the SolarQuotes weekly newsletter, keeping you up to date on all the latest developments on Australias solar scene. I think it is illegal in WA to rewire your inverter or modify any parameters, as it may result in more than 5kW being sent to the grid, so I will just bite the bullet and see that I use as much solar as possible. So in effect I have two safety guards in place, 1. the 5kw limiter to the grit and 2. the extra Gateway . 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. Sometimes Powercor can reduce that to a lower figure, or even set a zero-export limit. With permission export limiting can be used to install larger systems. The solar installer or customer must have sought and received pre-approval from us for the requested capacity of the generator. ), 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. Even if you have the Envoy-S, I believe at least on paper there was a Enphase Envoy-S 0000004059 00000 n We do not prevent customers from installing solar for their own self-consumption. Do you know the situation here? This is sufficient to charge a battery, although larger solar systems generally improve the return from batteries. Because you dont see the rather obvious shutdowns (or see them less), you might not notice your solar might be throttled back on a regular basis. Talking of which, the fact often gets dropped under the table that neither batteries nor panels and inverters (being mechano-electronic devices) have a limited life span, and their efficiency deteriorates gradually after only a few years. Im afraid thats a tough situation. 20% 220 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. 0000038030 00000 n Please confirm the maximum export limit in the relevant section of this application.. 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. When it says that you can export 5kw, does that mean you can export up to 5kw PER HOUR? In reality, the losses will be considerably less. 44% leading 11kW panels with 10kW 3-phase inverter (Fronius Symo + Fronius 3-phase meter). 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. Generation sources can be, but are not limited to solar, wind and batteries. Normally single phase properties can have up to 5 kilowatts of solar inverter capacity and 3 phase properties can have 15 kilowatts. Any ideas of how I can get a system that is actually going to generate enough power to charge a battery? This certainly goes well beyond initial configuration and reporting. We have had solar for 6 years and just recently moved homes. 0000001260 00000 n If you are using Enphase microinverters which is extremely likely the whole system can be export limited using the Enphase Envoy gateway. 0000037380 00000 n Can I share my power excess with me neighbour? If youre not satisfied with what answers our calculator gives, let me know your figures for grid electricity and solar feed-in tariff and Ill come up with an estimate for you. Swearing revenge, he began his lifelong quest to reduce the harm the environment could cause. The majority of customers are approved for the export level they request. Long term benefits would be a more energy efficient system. 0000008043 00000 n 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. 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. The distributor deals with that by putting the voltage slightly up at the sending end. 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. 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%. 0000038830 00000 n You could buy a battery, charge it on the weekend and export during week nights. March 2022 6 Powercor means Powercor Australia Limited, ABN 89 064 651 109. portal means the eConnect portal for CitiPower and . 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. But if you suddenly switch off everything, there is more surplus solar power than youre allowed to export. 100 litres alone means little, but if there are 100 litres per hour, this means 100 litre hours of output. DC Input Power (Wp) 10000, from its published datasheet. 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. 0000037764 00000 n 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. Rooftop solar works by turning sunlight into electric power. For example, I can see several Energex profiles that do things like limit export to differing amounts, turns on Volt-var without Volt-watt, or sets the power factor to 0.9. To give you example, you will probably find the profile you mention is probably throttling from a very low 250v and will ramp down to 20% at 265v. 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. A Decent Battery From sonnen. Instead the home can benefit from a small system, as I explain here: Ah yes I see. (Or at least it will be expensive to set up well. NSWs Essential Energy area: Regional NSW. Typically in the Powercor area, the export limit is 5kW of exports for each single-phase household solar PV system. 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. 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). 0000009573 00000 n Heres what that means. Similarly, which would be more detrimental to a fragile electricity grid, through power exporting; a 5kW inverter with no export limiting, or, a 10kW inverter, with export limiting set to 1kW? Australian Rooftop Solar Powers Rise Astounding, But.. Australias Emissions: Electricity Down, Transport Up, Compare Feed-In Tariffs And Electricity Plans, Victorias Powercor Lifts Its Solar Exports Game, 3029: Hoppers Crossing, Tarneit, Truganina, 3030: Cocoroc, Derrimut, Point Cook, Werribee, Werribee South, 3551: Ascot (Greater Bendigo), Axe Creek, Axedale, Bagshot, East Bendigo, Emu Creek, Eppalock, Epsom, 3337: Kurunjang, Melton, Melton West, Toolern Vale, 3340: Bacchus Marsh, Balliang, Coimadai, Darley, Hopetoun Park, Long Forest, Maddingley, Merrimu, 3352: Bonshaw, Bungaree, Bunkers Hill, Burrumbeet, Cambrian Hill, Cardigan, Cardigan Village, Clarendon, 3305: Bolwarra, Cape Bridgewater, Gorae West, Heathmere, Portland, Portland North, Portland West, 3444: Baynton, Kyneton, Lauriston, Lyal, Metcalfe, Redesdale, Tylden 3465 Alma, Bowenvale, Daisy Hill, Maryborough. 0% We respect your privacy and you can opt out from the newsletter at any time. Victorias CitiPower area: The Melbourne Central Business District. Anyway you are probably not supposed to be messing around with the profiles without agreement of your DNSP. 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. 0000037419 00000 n Was sure if its been configured correctly or if this is just how it works? ), 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? 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. 00@ Oo In a Enphase system, only the Envoy can provide this. But given average voltages are probably well above what they should be in lots of places, and once you factor in your local voltage rise, and pretty low values under AS4777 etc, there is not much room to play with until the distributors get the act together and deliver us power that better matches the 230v standard they are required to deliver us. 0000004736 00000 n About CitiPower and Powercor FACT SHEET: SOLAR EXPORT APPROVAL Set appliances to use your solar power Maintenance and safety checks are important Shane, you appear to be mixing up kW and kWh easily done! Fronius Wattpilot: A Smart EV Charger With A Short Warranty, You Wont Believe How Dumb The NSW Governments New Battery Calculator Is. Select the AS/NZS 4777.2:2020 Australia A setting. 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. Were seeing a real lift in the number of customers able to export excess solar back into the grid in these areas, which were among the most constrained in our network only a few months ago, said Powercor General Manager Electricity Networks, Mark Clarke. When a home is exported limited, all the power the solar inverter can produce is available for the home to use. Please make sure you engage early with our team through eConnect to check on network capacity for your customers. Good question Tony. Self confessed newbie to the mechanics of Solar so bear with me. Website link shows system producing well over 10 kW. But whether or not extra solar capacity will pay for itself is another matter. But if you had a larger solar system with a larger inverter that was export limited to 5 kilowatts it could potentially supply 2 kilowatts to your home while exporting 5 kilowatts to the grid. How do I get around this with SAPN , am I allowed to export limit on a swer line in Sth Aust. 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. 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. But youll need to be confident you wont be hit with high demand charges during the evening peak that will wipe out any advantage. At times MPPT1 is at 600 odd watts while MPPT2 is at 2500 odd watts. Im glad to hear its flexible enough to do that. They hid the problem pretty well, because they do tend to reduce the amount of shutdowns. The infrastructure is not sufficiently flexible to deal with this. No matter how badly you may want to export limit your solar system, it can only be done in locations where its permitted. This extra meter adds to the cost of a solar system. 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. Can one have micro-inverter panels without a gateway, and how would that be limited? Metered and a non metered version. If you cant store the power (too expensive) and you cant export it, why the requirement (or desire) to put in large systems? 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. Thus if my system is at maximum output, and I am using 2kW, only 3 kW is being exported to the grid. Just last week, Powercor (Western Victoria) advised that they now have more room in the grid for export. No active system controls whether you use inverter of imported power. Am planning to install solar 6.6 kWh system and upon checking with powercor they are giving export limit as 0 kWh. 0000028638 00000 n 0000093063 00000 n Unfortunately, SAPN wont allow more than 5 kilowatts of inverter capacity on an SWER line. I have a 10kw Solar Edge inverter limited to 5kw. AC Output Data I could easily share my excess power for the time I am not irrigating my crops. I live in Warrnambool, Victoria. The power is first used to meet household consumption, with any surplus exported to the grid for other people to use. 0000038484 00000 n But there will often be times when the solar system will produce more power than can be exported, so some energy will be lost3. As discussion of the topic of export limiting, is continuing, what,if any, is/are the direct effect differences to electricity grid load (as in the load on the wires, not the load as the term used for meaning demand), between a 5kW inverter, and a 10kW inverter with 5kW export limiting? Has the oppressive authority in WA ever given a reason for not allowing export limited inverters in WA? 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. 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. (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 . As your sister can presumably export as much power as her solar inverter can produce it wouldnt need this device. I am surprised to hear that Powercor has allowed you to increase your exports, but that is good to hear.

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