My 16kWp Domestic System

Coltrane

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118674352#Comment_118674352

Very interesting. I'm considering this too; enquiring whether getting 3 phase would be easier!

mp3guy

NC7 application lodged this morning, 11kW export on single phase here I come! Plus 13.5c/kWh clean export premium.

unkel

That's very interesting mp3guy, keep us updated. The world is a very different place today from when you started your thread 15 months ago!

Back then I had about 3-4kwp, no I have about 11kwp. And with this incredible FIT we are being offered now, my next plan is to add another 5kwp north facing. Single phase here too.

If you DIY and you do well buying parts, you can install 1kwp for €400 - €500. This generates 1000kWh per year south facing in the better solar PV areas of Ireland (like Dublin), which at 13.5c FIT brings in €135 per year - or a pay back period of 3-4 years (without any subsidies). Double that if north facing, but still a good investment as above figures are very conservative worst case scenario ones. In practice they are even better as you will use some of your own production yourself at the peak rate, which is getting extortionately expensive.

irishchris

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119274825#Comment_119274825

Nice one! Who are you receiving the 13.5c from? Did you jump ship to different supplier?

mp3guy

I'm trying to find the document but I'm hoping I get the 13.5c as I saw it listed in a few places and technically the NC7 will be a "new application". Energia is my current supplier but if I have to switch to e.g. SSE for it I'll do it. I analysed my last 6 months of import and even if I switch to a smart meter from 27c/8c day/night, I'll still make more from FIT than going without or going with the "deemed export".

Mr Q

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119275535#Comment_119275535

Is there no planned cap on the amount of exported units they will pay you for?

graememk

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119275535#Comment_119275535

The 13.5 you may be thinking of is the commercial minimum set by the CRU?

That would need a dg05 meter type.

That being said, sse have announced 14c and pinenergy 13.5.

buzz11

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119274825#Comment_119274825

Very interesting -- I've got 12kW system so in similar category as yourself and I've exported 2,521 kW so far Jan to Jun

Whats the big benefit of going from micro to mini generation?

I presume you need a smart meter? oh I see on the FAQ that you get 'deemed export' until you get your smart meter

Is there much involved in the technical assessment -- I see theres a charge of €977

slave1

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119275535#Comment_119275535

Not being an arse about it but did you take into account revenue above €200 as taxable (how Revenue will do it, I do not know)

unkel

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119276957#Comment_119276957

Yes this was mentioned here and there. If FIT is considered income, then you can by definition write off expenses against it that were necessary to get that income. I can't see it being hard to keep your income tax bill for this on zero, no matter how much you export. At least until all your hardware is depreciated.

graememk

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119277022#Comment_119277022

I suppose the yearly standing charge is an expense too?

unkel

No. You have to pay that anyway. I'm no tax expert but I'd say only the hardware you bought if DIY plus any labour you paid for (RECI with bill) and the total install cost if not DIY and the whole thing was installed by an installer. In both cases subject to depreciation terms. For a lot of hardware this is 8 years which is reasonable

the_amazing_raisin

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119274825#Comment_119274825

Was the 11kW limited by the grid or by your inverter?

I see there's an option on the form where ESB will give you the next lowest export capacity the grid can support without modification

unkel

Neither 🤣 it's just the next max level you are allowed to export

the_amazing_raisin

I thought you could go higher, but you're a mini generator, as opposed to micro, and you were paid out of a different export rate

slave1

Interesting one today @mp3guy, PV production well over 8kW and peaking over 10kW but the Zappi2 seems to be maxing around 5.5kW to our Kona, the Tesla was taking 7.4 kW no probs so don’t think it’s a Zappi issue. The Kona takes 7.4kW off the grid at night. Did you ever encounter this when you had the Kona64?

mp3guy

Hmm no, that's strange. Was the Zappi throttling due to heat during the day?

slave1

No, was in shade, went out to feel it and all good

mp3guy

Next time check the internal reading from the menu on the display. Otherwise maybe the Kona itself was throttling? Never had this issue anyway.

slave1

Checked that because the Kona is one of the few EVs where you can drop the charge bottom limit below the normal 1.4kW, but it was set to “maximum”. The dash on the car was reading the same os the MyEnergi App ie 5kW.

What I should have done was set the Zappi2 to Fast mode, I’m pretty sure that would make it go to 7.2kW (or whatever the Zappi2 maxes out at). That would have narrowed the issue to just excess PV….but never dawned on me.

Anyhow, clouds rolled in and wasn’t any issue then

mp3guy

Just one inverter?

the_amazing_raisin

Could it be a plug issue? I've noticed that the ID.4 will restrict charging speed to 1.4kW if the plug isn't in all the way

I wonder does the Kona have something similar, maybe it misread the cable resistance and throttled the charging when it shouldn't

slave1

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119473093#Comment_119473093

Two Solis 6kW inverters now up and running

slave1

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119473485#Comment_119473485

That is actually a possibility, if I’d thought of Fast mode I could have eliminated that, wait until next time to see if it happens again

mp3guy

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119473516#Comment_119473516

Could it be something weird like the Myenergi CT only catching one inverter's export?

slave1

Both inverters feed into the single cable back to consumer unit so not that, sure listen, probably only a few days now were the car will be at home and this will arise again! If I see it again I'll be sure to have a good look at everything

unkel

12kW on one cable. You need a big cable 😁

slave1

It will be!

buzz11

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119473516#Comment_119473516

Can someone clarify what the 6kw limit is?

So exports must not exceed 6kw but I also hear from some installers that they won't install anything over a 6kw inverter -- I'm confused

bullit_dodger

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119531102#Comment_119531102

Your not allowed (by ESB) to export more than 6Kw to the grid if you are on single phase. If you are on 3x phase, that limit is increased to 11Kw.

INstallers won't install more than 6Kw as

a) there are no any inverters readily available on the market which are single phase and cater for more than 6kw

b) the limit is not something they want to break.

You (as a private individual) can of course install whatever you like, however, if you do have 2x inverters you shouldn't break that limit either. That can be done by simply setting the export threshold on one inverter to 0w and leaving the other as 6kw, or set the two of them to have a max export of 3kw each.