Solar Panels

[NM]

Those ~200/kWh limits a month are very low. Plenty of people even with 5kW systems would go over that.

Will be interesting how that translates into retail pricing.

Yep, my 5kW inverter, with lots of day-time self-consumption, managed 331kWh feed-in for the month of April. Earned me about a dollar a day at 10c/kWh.

 

[RAM]

Unshaded coastal north facing generation in WA- perfectly symmetrical

Are these for a day or longer period & averaged?

 

[RAM]

Its actually two pumps and the chlorinator. One pump for the main filter and pool circulation and one for the pool solar hearing that pumps to the heating tubes on the second story roof. They are not variable speed. The heating pump does cycle on/off as needed. Normally this time of year the heating is in "Winter Mode" where it only comes on for about 5 mins each day, just to keep the pipes and pump "wet". But our son is hosting a party here soon and has asked that the pool be available to use, so I have not put it into winter mode yet - it will be way too cold for me to get in! Water temp yesterday was 27 degrees, and three degrees below my entry point .

Main pump and chlorinator pulls around 4 Amps (apprx 1kW) and solar pump around 3 Amps. So together they are a little under 2kW when operating. I'll check the actual figures when they start up today. Its overcast here at the moment, so generation has not reached 4kW so hot water is unlikely to trigger from that today and will activate at 10:30am, so pool pumps likely around 11:30am at the conclusion of hot water heating requirement.

Also we have recently laid some new turf, so the rainwater tank pump has also been running in the afternoon keeping that soaked.

Well worth doing some investigation into variable speed pumps in advance of needing to replace your single speed pumps.

The issue with single speed efficiency is that they're running at 100% the entire time they're on, so energy efficiency is very poor. For my friend's pump/filter spend, he calculated the power savings meant the extra cost was covered by less than 2 years power savings. IIRC the daily draw previously was around 24 kWhs vs around 3 kWhs now.

But chances are (like with our inverter) your pumps will last longer than expected. Damn quality!

 

[Cynicor]

Are these for a day or longer period & averaged?

Single day each. All my curves are like that- might be a WA thing. No idea

 

[Quickstatus]

But chances are (like with our inverter) your pumps will last longer than expected. Damn quality!

My variable rpm pump died and so I went back to dumb pump. I'll investigate out sizing the filter. I run my pool on 100% anyway with chlorine and acid dosing roller pumls. If out sizing the filter reduces the pressure then the flow should increase and I should be able to shorten the pump time.

Though in the wider context it's hardly going to reduce my grid export in light of Ausgrid

 

[RAM]

My variable rpm pump died and so I went back to dumb pump. I'll investigate out sizing the filter. I run my pool on 100% anyway with chlorine and acid dosing roller pumls. If out sizing the filter reduces the pressure then the flow should increase and I should be able to shorten the pump time.

Though in the wider context it's hardly going to reduce my grid export in light of Ausgrid

Not just oversizing the filter but also oversizing the variable speed pool pump. The lower, on the range of possible rpm, it runs then the lower power draw. Running for 8 hours will use less total energy than running the same total throughput for 6 hours (for example).

In one my earlier posts I showed the formula for determining the relative power usage for the same throughput based on differing hp engines.

One aspect that I'd forgotten being told is that running a pool vacuum at the same time (from a pool skimmer box if enough available) also serves to improve the outcome (lower throughput needed) as the constant movement of the pool vacuum's hose ensures the chemicals in the pool are being 'stirred' vs settling.

 

[Quickstatus]

Not just oversizing the filter

That is true but with my grid export of 25,000kWh /year net of current pool pumps, making such additional changes is not going to make a difference

 

[kookaburra75]

Your profile looks very similar - very short sharp ramp and much longer decline. Ramp nearly 3 hours and decline over 6 hours.
Not quite identical but a similar short very sharp ramp with a much longer decline - certainly not symetrical like Ausgrid are claiming.

I suspect the quick ramp up in the morning, and the tailing off in the afternoon has a something to do with the placement of our panels. In the Google Maps shot of our place, you can see the main bank of panels facing east, and the other main sets north facing. There a few on the south edge to make up the numbers, but they still get a lot of sunlight on them, not as direct as the others.

There's also the large claret ash in the backyard which does overshadow some of the panels in mid afternoon - not an issue in winter though.

 

[daft009]

looking at solar again for our new office.
waiting for some quotes to come through.

thinking something to maximise the $20k asset write off with some future provision for an EV charger (good incentive for staff IMO and me in case I buy an EV).

also now that feed in tariffs are dropping does battery make more sense? or just keep future provision for it
we are only only open M-F 9-5 so I guess early morning and late arvo M-F it could come in handy

 

[Quickstatus]

@daft009 I think @cove is the commercial building solar king in these parts of the woods. Can't see how you will need a battery as you are "office hours"only. Batteries really only for time shifting solar to cover evening consumption

 

[RAM]

looking at solar again for our new office.
waiting for some quotes to come through.

thinking something to maximise the $20k asset write off with some future provision for an EV charger (good incentive for staff IMO and me in case I buy an EV).

also now that feed in tariffs are dropping does battery make more sense? or just keep future provision for it
we are only only open M-F 9-5 so I guess early morning and late arvo M-F it could come in handy

Solar panels should stack up nicely with the instant write-off but a battery is very unlikely to. It all comes down to your exact requirements, especially how your power demand is made up. Time to do some detailed figuring before you approach any installers.

Your cost per kWh would have to be very high and total power use similarly high (a kWh price > 50 cents per kWh for example for a battery to even come close to working as fincially viable. Also flat rate tariff etc.

You can do some 'time shifting' yourself if you have control over the temperature setting for any ac you have - lower/raise (summer/winter) the temp during peak solar generation and reverse it outside of peak generation - so your afternoon/late afternoon draw (especially in winter) is that much lower than otherwise.

There have been a number of cases where a small business has needed to upgrade their grid supply and been quoted a massive cost to do so. In those cases (much more than $20k spending) the numbers do stack up for PV + batteries.

As for charging - really depends on how many people are likely to want/need to charge at your company's expense. A simple 240v outlet on a 50 amp or 60 amp circuit (allow 80% of max for draw) gives you 9.6 kW or 11.5kW charging for a very low installation cost vs the expense of a faster charger. If used often then having standalone batteries could well be pointless (aka very costly). A few years in the future I expect all EVs to offer VTL/VTG as standard. So your potential EV could fully replace a battery for tineshifting (if really needed).

 

[samh004]

Been a while between posts. Ended up getting a battery along with a few extra panels. Total installed now is 15kW with a 10kW inverter. Battery is 25.6kWh. Also got an EV charger installed to help with my commute. This is what my days look like (a particularly nice one recently that produced 68.1 kWh).



The battery stopped charging back up today about 15 minutes ago, so the rest of the day will be sold to the grid. I still buy little bits from the grid, I'm not off-grid, and therefore need to pay a supply charge which is what hurts the most every day. I certainly export less to the grid, but I'm charging a battery that shields me from nasty power prices at night, So far for May below.

 

[Quickstatus]

Battery is 25.6kWh

Which brand?. Are you 3 phase?

 

[samh004]

Which brand?. Are you 3 phase?

Single phase. I had considered whether it would be worth changing to 3-phase, but it's a big cost, including some re-wiring and I wasn't sure I'd see a payback on capital. The idea of having far more solar capacity did intrigue me. I think I could have got to 30kW on my roof? But as it stands I just stuck with the maximum I could get which is 15kW connected to an inverter that can see the whole 15kW but only outputs at 10kW... though sometimes I see little overpower blips around 13kW for short periods of time.

The battery is a GoodWe Lynx F G2. I actually run two stacks of 12.8kWh each. They're pretty cool because you can start small and over time add new modules as you need it. There was a battery incentive program in QLD that helped, but only very marginally. It was mainly just an investment in technology, and it does help me when I get home to recharge my EV overnight completely, ready for the next day's journey, and not have to touch grid power - except for occasional blips every day (such as 0.43kWh today so far costing me $0.11).

 

[ketsuzei]

Our no-expense-spared Japanese renovation (which still cost less than our more compromised Aussie one) includes a "tribrid" system with V2H (vehicle-to-home) charging that allows our AI overlords to try all sorts of permutations including charging the fixed battery from the car, charging the car from the battery, and of course supplying power to the home from either. The control panel is fascinating to watch.

 

[samh004]

Our no-expense-spared Japanese renovation (which still cost less than our more compromised Aussie one) includes a "tribrid" system with V2H (vehicle-to-home) charging that allows our AI overlords to try all sorts of permutations including charging the fixed battery from the car, charging the car from the battery, and of course supplying power to the home from either. The control panel is fascinating to watch.

Sounds very cool, but I'd only want my car discharging to the house/grid if I had a power retailer offering wholesale rates so I could charge the house and car for nothing but sell at other peak demand times back to the grid. Amber doesn't support my inverter/battery so I'm sticking with my traditional retailer for now.

 

[docjames]

. Amber doesn't support my inverter/battery so I'm sticking with my traditional retailer for now.

I’m confused by this statement - i thought Amber was well developed with Solar/Battery and allows access to real-time FiTs?

Solar and Battery | Amber

Amber is on a mission to help shift Australia to 100% renewable energy. Get access to wholesale energy prices and use more green energy. Sign up for $22/month.

www.amber.com.au

 

[samh004]

I’m confused by this statement - i thought Amber was well developed with Solar/Battery and allows access to real-time FiTs?

Solar and Battery | Amber

Amber is on a mission to help shift Australia to 100% renewable energy. Get access to wholesale energy prices and use more green energy. Sign up for $22/month.

www.amber.com.au

They're not compatible with every battery/inverter. I don't know the specifics but I get the feeling they need to be able to run their own software to be able to control when the battery charges or discharges. My battery isn't compatible. They say I can enquire with their partner Evergen but then the full functionality of their app isn't provided - from my understanding.

Their whole offering seems great, but it requires everything to be perfect. This is not the case for me.

 

[docjames]

They're not compatible with every battery/inverter. I don't know the specifics but I get the feeling they need to be able to run their own software to be able to control when the battery charges or discharges. My battery isn't compatible. They say I can enquire with their partner Evergen but then the full functionality of their app isn't provided - from my understanding.

Their whole offering seems great, but it requires everything to be perfect. This is not the case for me.

Wow, interesting. They do have a drop down that has a list of compatible, but i’ve got no idea if these are common ones, rare ones, expensive ones, cheap ones, or a mix.

 

[Quickstatus]

They're not compatible with every battery/inverter.

In fact very few of the high end inverters are supported.
SMA is not supported either