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Forum Index : Solar : Grid Solar Control
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norcold Guru  Joined: 06/02/2011 Location: AustraliaPosts: 670 |
https://au.news.yahoo.com/thewest/a/24342141/solar-may-fuel- grid-collapse/ From the above News item, do grid connect inverters throttle back if the grid is "maxed"? They must have some sort of control,interesting problem if they don`t. We come from the land downunder. Vic |
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yahoo2 Guru Joined: 05/04/2011 Location: AustraliaPosts: 1166 |
I am surprised you haven't seen something from ergon/energex, their new solar connection rules come in July 1. tomorrow! Connections over a certain size have to be able to export control, and compensate power factor issues?? not sure about the second one, I have not read the guff yet. https://www.ergon.com.au/contractors,-suppliers--and--develo pers/solar-pv-installers/new-connection-standard There is supposed to be a new Australian standard coming that addresses these issues but it is way behind schedule. edit: still can't spell I'm confused, no wait... maybe I'm not... |
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| norcold Guru Joined: 06/02/2011 Location: AustraliaPosts: 670 |
Interesting read, so existing systems cannot be controlled as they are. Seems to be a total lack of foresight, sort of like putting cattle in an unfenced enclosure. If only a fence had been put up, where are me cattle?  find that quiet extraordinary in one respect but totally understandable if RE is "expected" to fail.We come from the land downunder. Vic |
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| yahoo2 Guru Joined: 05/04/2011 Location: AustraliaPosts: 1166 |
I think anything under 3-5 Kw is regarded as power substitution not export certainly with 6-8 cents/Kw on offer the incentive will be to self consume. Given that almost all of the installed capacity is at this level so far, over voltage is only an issue at a local level. Britain already has water heater controllers and programmable socket fittings that can load share excess solar power, it wont be long and it will be here, tech like this (and inverters that can actively manage power production) will flatten the grid feed-in a lot. Ironically export control will allow an increase in RE capacity on the grid because power can be averaged, peaks and troughs can be softened with reserve capacity. I think it is hilarious that we have gone from paranoia about the prospect of load shedding to stop the grid from collapsing from overload on sunny days to export control to stop inverters doing just the opposite. I'm confused, no wait... maybe I'm not... |
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| davef Guru Joined: 14/05/2006 Location: New ZealandPosts: 499 |
If you can't wait for commercial product grab an Arduino and head over to this site: http://openenergymonitor.org/emon/ |
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| norcold Guru Joined: 06/02/2011 Location: AustraliaPosts: 670 |
http://www.abc.net.au/news/2014-07-03/electricity-providers- return-to-coal-fired-power-as-natural-gas/5567252 Another interesting article, could be good for solar or is it that power has become topical thus selling newspapers? But being only topical even should be good for solar, get Joe Blow interested. We come from the land downunder. Vic |
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| norcold Guru Joined: 06/02/2011 Location: AustraliaPosts: 670 |
Another read, tis very confusing but RE will persist regardless of the continued opposition. Appears more will just go off-grid. Bring on battery tech to assist. Power We come from the land downunder. Vic |
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| norcold Guru Joined: 06/02/2011 Location: AustraliaPosts: 670 |
Tis a problem our solar cells, instead of them cutting power costs the lack of foresight has them apparently adding to power price. Imagine if battery tech gives us a good size bank for a couple of thou, coupled with dropping price of solar, the consumer will opt out of the grid to off-grid in droves. Interesting times!!! Bad Boy Solar We come from the land downunder. Vic |
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| norcold Guru Joined: 06/02/2011 Location: AustraliaPosts: 670 |
Perhaps an exciting solar project A solar-thermal project that has storage capacity, perhaps to replace a fossil fuelled plant, should give the grid no overload-underload dramas. We come from the land downunder. Vic |
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| yahoo2 Guru Joined: 05/04/2011 Location: AustraliaPosts: 1166 |
These articles are interesting Vic but it is not really current,almost all of the stuff they wrote about happened 5 to 10 years ago. In my opinion having a kneejerk reaction to what is history we cant change and going offgrid right now is not very productive. I would keep a connection for a couple of years even if I am generating and storing my own power and not using the grid, until things settle down and we can see where things are headed. We are better off keeping an eye on lobbying and offers of increased fixed charges in exchange for reduced power prices, that is one of the tactics used to secure income in a falling market. The questions are, where did the massive profits go? Who is going to pay for the supposed losses or write-downs, the consumer or the taxpayer? And what is happening to the large scale renewable energy target (LRET), the 41850 Gwh by 2020 target is still on the books but nothing is happening till after August?? I'm confused, no wait... maybe I'm not... |
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| norcold Guru Joined: 06/02/2011 Location: AustraliaPosts: 670 |
Yeah, true some older news, but as to a kneejerk reaction, as power prices increase we seem to be getting more of a backlash from the domestic consumer. As more become self-sufficient(they do not have to disconnect from the grid, as yet) as I see a trend beginning, the power producers are going to have some opposition. Their reaction so far seems to increase the power price Perhaps in the not to distant future, off-grid solar will be competing in such a way they will have to "pull in the belt", market demand will see to that. Even my local "staid" farmers will be forced to seek cheaper power for their irrigation etc. Interesting times, but looking good for solar. Very optimistic view I acknowledge. I suspect no LRET decision will be made this calendar year. Oh! for that crystal ball.. We come from the land downunder. Vic |
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| yahoo2 Guru Joined: 05/04/2011 Location: AustraliaPosts: 1166 |
My own gut reaction is that the price of gas and what happens with the fracking will play some part in the future of how we view our energy consumption. People love cheap gas. There is some funny stuff happening, I saw a power suppliers TV ad with a guy carefully carrying a large box of glowing lightbulbs and the line was that they are "growing and nurturing" power. Laughed so much I almost coughed up a lung. I'm confused, no wait... maybe I'm not... |
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Madness Guru Joined: 08/10/2011 Location: AustraliaPosts: 2498 |
Where can we buy those light bulbs? or is false advertising? There are only 10 types of people in the world: those who understand binary, and those who don't. |
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