Renewables: "talking 'bout my generation"

Martyn1981

EricMears wrote: »

As I said before, so much easier when both are the same

However, I'm sure the word "nett" appeared somewhere in the official definition (although I can't find that today and it really isn't worth the effort of looking).

You're spot on, there's TIC total installed capacity, and DNC declared net capacity. My understanding is that FIT tariff bands should be based on DNC, which would take account of inverter capping, and inverter efficiency.

So it should be the panel ratings (continuous at rated temps, not short burst) minus system losses including inverter efficiency, but there are a few different interpretations in the legislation, and different FIT technologies suffer different losses, so OFGEM have dug their feet in at kWp - even if legally this doesn't seem to be quite the right interpretation.

I suspect OFGEM spotted the quirks of PV (unlike wind and hydro), and that installing say 5kWp of panels through a 3.68kW capped inverter wouldn't actually lose too much to capping through the year, but would 'generate' more FIT income.

Mart.

KevinG

EricMears wrote: »

Since the 'O' isn't an official unit, I guess you could define it any way you like but it loses all credibility if different people define it differently.

Exactly, so we'd better agree on it!

Oscargrouch

Don't know if this is relevant to the kWp - Inverter cap:

Forum Link below.

Not my spelling:-

It has been suggested to me that I can have about 1KW in the array more than the inverter is rated for and it won't cause any problems.
Depends on the inverter.
only some brands of inverter have this capability?
Xantrex and Latronics that I know of. As far as I can tell, transformerless inverters cant handle much more than their rated output.
they are only concerned with the inverter
cos they are concerned about the kW peak output of the inverter. Overclocking increases kWh, which suits Energex just fine. Less ups and downs.
Has anyone done this in Brisbane?
Yep. Done quite a few 3.42 kW GT2.8s. Overclocked GT5s are just coming through now. They didn't make much sense before the stupid 5kW limit came in, we'd go to a PVI6000.
BTW, I hate to sound like a shark, but anybody thinking about a 5kW system had better get their act into gear. The push is on for a 3kW limit now.
Never heard this one before.


More kw will in the end mean more voltage and thats what limits you if you smoke your inverter say goodbye to your waranty and believe me they go up in about 30 seconds ive seen an sb1700 with 12 panels in series instead of 2 strings of 6 turn into a roast dinner before you can say whats the funny smell.
Energex go by the capacity of the inverter and geuss what i wouldnt try and pull the wool over there eyes cause they read this forum or have some sort of software that monitors it cause soon as someone starts !!!!!ing about meter change time they are on here within minutes giving there side.
Your inverter will start reducing harvest when you go too close to the max voltage better to stay under it by a reasonable amount or increase your inverter size.But since 5 is max in qld unless yoiu want to negotiate fit i guess your stuck.

http://forums.whirlpool.net.au/archive/1759935

teachergirl

Ages since I have posted. 20.08kWh here today.(at last reading anyway.) About time too.

Oscargrouch

KevinG wrote: »

Exactly, so we'd better agree on it!

I agree; kWp is what counts - makes for a good instant comparison irrespective of size of system..:)

3.24 O's for me today, simples......

Edit: Mind you, my cable from panels - Inverter may be thicker than someone elses; do we care....:think:.

shafeeq

7.32 kwh today or 2.44 kwp

Oscargrouch

teachergirl wrote: »

Ages since I have posted. 20.08kWh here today.(at last reading anyway.) About time too.

What's that in O's ? Back track a bit....

grahamc2003

Oscargrouch wrote: »

Don't know if this is relevant to the kWp - Inverter cap:

Forum Link below.

Not my spelling:-

It has been suggested to me that I can have about 1KW in the array more than the inverter is rated for and it won't cause any problems.
Depends on the inverter.
only some brands of inverter have this capability?
Xantrex and Latronics that I know of. As far as I can tell, transformerless inverters cant handle much more than their rated output.
they are only concerned with the inverter
cos they are concerned about the kW peak output of the inverter. Overclocking increases kWh, which suits Energex just fine. Less ups and downs.
Has anyone done this in Brisbane?
Yep. Done quite a few 3.42 kW GT2.8s. Overclocked GT5s are just coming through now. They didn't make much sense before the stupid 5kW limit came in, we'd go to a PVI6000.
BTW, I hate to sound like a shark, but anybody thinking about a 5kW system had better get their act into gear. The push is on for a 3kW limit now.
Never heard this one before.


More kw will in the end mean more voltage and thats what limits you if you smoke your inverter say goodbye to your waranty and believe me they go up in about 30 seconds ive seen an sb1700 with 12 panels in series instead of 2 strings of 6 turn into a roast dinner before you can say whats the funny smell.
Energex go by the capacity of the inverter and geuss what i wouldnt try and pull the wool over there eyes cause they read this forum or have some sort of software that monitors it cause soon as someone starts !!!!!ing about meter change time they are on here within minutes giving there side.
Your inverter will start reducing harvest when you go too close to the max voltage better to stay under it by a reasonable amount or increase your inverter size.But since 5 is max in qld unless yoiu want to negotiate fit i guess your stuck.

http://forums.whirlpool.net.au/archive/1759935

Nah don't worry Oscar.

You can plug a 100kWp array into a 4kWp inverter, and guess what? It wont blow up. courtesy of Don, (now with another handle).

Holy Exploding Undersized Inverters Batman!

I think you're confusing the voltage that the whole set up is designed to deliver, and the wattage that the inverter can cope with. courtesy of our resident solar guru (and no, it makes no sense whatsoever, but that never stopped him).

The following comes from Chapter 2 - Safety Information Page 9 of the Sunnyboy sb1700 Installation manual.....


'Overvoltage on the DC side can even cause dangerous explosions of the Sunnyboy input capacitors and explosions of the electrolytes coming from the exploded capacitors'
courtesy of Sunnyboy.

Read all about it starting at 1693 in the following thread

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/51280983#Comment_51280983

WestonDave

Best day of the year so far - 18.8 kWh or 4.7O's . Just about gets me back on target for March - although by the looks of the witchcraft (aka weather forecast) that may not be the story for long!

EricMears

We were up to 1kW by 08:15 so my fears of a layer of snow on panels was obviously exaggerateed.

However, there was a lot of cloud about after 10am and a pretty dull afternoon

But with a total of 12.4 kWh today, I'm not too upset.