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I meant that having an EV battery in the mix allows a couple of options that are currently not supported by technology. One option is on the rare occasion that the grid is down, use the EV to power the house without needing to maintain a separate battery bank. In a few states, the homeowner can elect to participate in demand reduction program where the utility can "borrow" power from a home battery battery during high demand periods. The owner gets a paid a capacity fee for just being hooked up and usually a fee if the capacity is used. This same option is being discussed to use the EV battery. The problem is currently is the vehicle to grid tech is still a work in progress. Far better waiting a bit until the tech settles out. -
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X2!!!
I'm in Illinois and my utility does not allow me to participate in Time of day metering because of my solar panels being grid tied (and currently one for one net metering) so ZERO advantage to having batteries.
I also have a 6KW generator collecting dust in the garage.Leave a comment:
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UL 1741 SA is the specification for anti islanding required by utilities. Manufacturers can elect to build and sell grid tied inverters that disconnect from grid and homeowners can buy them. The grid is very reliable in most areas so it fits 99% of the demand at lower cost. If the homeowner actually needs or is convinced by the media and companies that make a profit on selling equipment to run without the gird, they can buy equipment at a higher cost and complexity to run isolated from the grid. The vast majority of these systems are sold to folks who suffer from Fear Of Missing Out.
The alternative many folks including myself is buy a generator on sale, park it in the garage and rarely if ever use it. I live in rural area and have gone 22 years without mine being used for a power outage. Sure the power on rare occasions does go out but its minor inconvenience.
The trade off with going with a system that can be run isolated off the grid is complexity and potential long term maintenance costs. IMO, the big switch to electric cars is going to introduce a new wrinkle in home power usage with inverters that can both run without the gird using the EV battery and export power to the grid for compestation when its needed. In order to have this capability, the PV system will most likely need new electronics and configuration so why not wait for the new technology?, The panels will still work, its just the electronics that will need replacing.
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In my state, that is strictly illegal.
The power company engineers must approve your design and inspect installation [and you agree to pay their wages, as they do so]. then you must hire a state-approved installer, who will discard every component that you have purchased, and insist that they can only install components that they have provided [at a 3X mark-up].
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When you say just ordered, do you mean you are committed to the purchase?
What brand and components did you order? This might help steer potential solutions for you.
In a few words, what do you want your system to do when the power goes out?
So many questions...Leave a comment:
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Anti islanding
Hi all, I'm just ordering a solar panel/battery system which will be linked to the grid and have become aware of a safety feature called "anti-islanding". As I understand it if the grid goes down then the solar panel/battery system are shut down to prevent electrical current going back into the grid and endangering personnel working on the grid.
The consequence is that should the grid go down you also have no access to your battery or solar panel power.
I'm guessing this is a feature of the inverter and was wondering if there are any available that would isolate you from the grid but not turn off your in house power.
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