DNO export capacity

4500_Donavan

Hi,

Whilst I wait for my DNO application to come back, I just wondered what other PW3 owners have managed to get approved? I realise that this is very much dependant on local grid constraints but thought it would be interesting. My installer has applied for 11kW. I'm hoping for 7kW approval.

NedS

As you say, it's very much dependant on local grid constraints.

As a completely useless data point, my initial offer was for 1kW (I already had 3.68kW under G98, so this was a reduction in what I already had which came as a bit of a surprise to me)

It's useful to understand the process. Many DNOs will undertake a desktop paper exercise to determine your export offer. Typically they have a spreadsheet which calculates the voltage increases or drops across your local network for any given export amount, and they have to stay within predescribed limits. They would start by inputting 11kW export and see if it remains in tolerance. If not, they reduce to 10kW and run it again… and so on until it remains in tolerance. For me, that number came back as 1kW of export. It could be 11kW, it could be 0kW or it could be anywhere in between depending on the local grid and what your neighbours already have installed.

A good local installer with local knowledge should be able to give you an indication of what is likely to be offered based on other installations they have done in the area, but it can still vary significantly due to factors that may not be immediately obvious (e.g, neighbours may get very different offers if they are on different phases and one phase is more loaded than another other)

If you do not get the offer you want, do talk to the DNO as generally they want to help and not have to refuse you permission to install. At the very least they are required to give you a quote to upgrade the infrastructure to achieve your desired outcome, although this is usually prohibitively expensive, but there may be other available options too.

4500_Donavan

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/82138886#Comment_82138886

Thanks @NedS. I appreciate your comprehensive reply.

JKenH

11kW. I was amazed as previous enquiries to my DNO had received the response that no increase over my original 7.3kW export limit (solar panels only) would be countenanced. I added an extra 5kW of panels at the same time as the PW3.

Hexane

Based on what I was told, my DNO gave my installer a prohibitively expensive quote for the requested limit, my installer then told them "in that case we won't go ahead", and the DNO then wrote back saying "OK we'll do it for free".