Plug in solar

Qyburn

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/81927200#Comment_81927200

Ecology make a token effort by supplying without a plug and suggesting it should be professionally installed.

The system can be installed and maintained by users themselves. However, if you are in the UK, due to local regulations, the BKW DIY cable used with the Stream Microinverter must be connected to the distribution board. This operation requires a professional installer or electrician.

QrizB

Noting that plugin solar isn't yet approved in the UK (it's only four days since this thread started 😂) I thoight I'd mention that EcoFlow have an interesting bundle on offer:

https://uk.ecoflow.com/products/stream-ultra-pro?variant=51245894238547

That's a ~2kWh battery paired with four 450 watt panels, for (currently) £1200.

QrizB

… and @nappy501 had a thread about using a portable powerstation as a home storage battery a few months ago. That then developed into a discussion of plug-in solar.

I'll tag them in this thread in case they've overlooked it, and link to that thread for reference.

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/6630577/is-anyone-using-a-powerstation-as-a-home-battery-for-savings-with-economy-7

Apologies for anyone who's read all this before I thought I should do a bit of thread housekeeping!

Qyburn

If regulations are changed so that true "plug in" systems are permitted, I wonder what what will be put in place about eligibility for export payments.

QrizB

If regulations are changed so that true "plug in" systems are permitted, I wonder what what will be put in place about eligibility for export payments.

There's currently a requirement on suppliers that they only pay export payments where the customer can provide some evidence that the system is electrically safe and complies with G98/G99/G100 (as applicable). Usually this is done via MCS certification but I've read that some suppliers will accept a test report from a non-MCS electrician.

This might continue, which would mean self-installed won't get export payments. Or there might be a self-certification scheme, or there could be something that could only be dreamt up by Kafka.

JKenH

Once approved by Ed Milliband, it would be very tempting to add a balcony system to a property that already has MCS certification for solar export. For say £300 you could add another 800w of generation - potentially 800 kWh p.a. earning £96 in export. That’s around 3 years payback. I have an export limit of 11kW but because my panels are on multiple orientations I won’t ever reach that figure as things stand.

Scot_39

Given total solar capacity is - or at least has been rapidly approaching summer demand levels - when take out say 5GW nuclear generation - and its far closer than headline figures might suggest - basing pay back on current seg rates might not be the wisest move.

tfhnota

Regardless, news reports and youtube suggest Ed is bringing it in this April as a response to rising energy prices, and you will be able to buy kits in Aldi and Lidl, probably less than £500 - limited to 800W but able to over-panel so you still get some power on non-sunny days, especially if you chose half decent panels (expect the cheaper kits not to have good panels).

Swipe

So if I plugged it into my garage radial circuit would I only be able to power items from it on that circuit or would it distribute back to the meter and flow through the ring main as well?

QrizB

So if I plugged it into my garage radial circuit would I only be able to power items from it on that circuit or would it distribute back to the meter and flow through the ring main as well?

Back through the Consumer Unit and feeds everything else too. (This assumes you're a normal household with single-phase electricity; it wouldn't be true if you had three-phase.)