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Energy limit from solar sending back to PGE?
- Thread starter h2ofun
- Start date
aesculus
Still Trying to Figure This All Out
From PG&E form Form 79-1151A-02,
AGREEMENT AND CUSTOMER AUTHORIZATION
Net Energy Metering (NEM2) Interconnection
For Solar And/Or Wind Electric Generating
Facilities Of 30 Kilowatts Or Less
AGREEMENT AND CUSTOMER AUTHORIZATION
Net Energy Metering (NEM2) Interconnection
For Solar And/Or Wind Electric Generating
Facilities Of 30 Kilowatts Or Less
Yep, I know that. But this person was told if you go over a certain amount, you get zero further credit for energy sent back. I have never heard of this
With storage plus solar they calculate how much energy your solar could produce and limit you to that. I know this because on the record configuration is still messed up with PG&E when my Powerwalls were installed. They think I have a much *smaller* solar system and I eventually noticed not all of my production was being credited. I've temporarily worked around the issue by switching to "balanced mode" so I'm self consuming more.
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aesculus
Still Trying to Figure This All Out
Well the reason you fill out the form is to make PG&E comfortable you will not exceed your production. According to my Tesla person it is their way of doing a pre - PTO and if you exceed it they will not approve the PTO. So Tesla makes this a check off for selling you solar. If PG&E objects Tesla will not sell you the system.
So, it is true. What was the data sent to PGE when you put the solar on relative to you use, % overage, etc. How did you see not all
your production was being credited?
Makes sense. So in theory, if you got a PTO for a system install, there should be no issues? I wonder how arnolddeleon is seeing the issue then as he posted?
Not quite understanding this. If they think you have a bigger system, then wouldn't you be under producing?
They think I have a smaller system. They think I have 2.9 kW when in actually have 13 kW. Somehow Tesla entered the wrong numbers in forms they sent to PG&E, I didn't notice at that time.
I see I dropped an important word in my post, smaller, and instead typed solar twice.
wow, looks like I do not want to sent this page.
So, is this because of note above that 2.9KW system was submitted? From other comment, it seems that if a PTO is approved with the correct and agreed upon solar size, then would imply it would be impossible to get this over produced note?
How do you go about getting your information corrected?
yes it seems extremely unlikely you'll see this if you have the proper size recorded.
As to getting it fixed, I don't know yet. I contacted PG&E months ago and one response was that was the installers problem. I believe I asked if if I could correct it and haven't heard anything. I also emailed Tesla around the same time and have gotten nothing. I might try them again since they responded to a more recent email. I also have a solar order with Tesla that will add to my total solar so that might fix things. Long story short, still not fixed.
Interesting because my system is sized to produce just about what I consume but with my 3 powerwalls, I'll be sending all of my peak production back to the grid while I'm 100% powered from the batteries during those hours. Without the time shifting, my 8.16kw system would have to be more than double to get the same credits I'm planning on getting. i.e I intent to use more energy than I used to by quite a bit because I can sell expensive and buy cheap. I intend to run my AC more than 300% more during the summer than any previous year and only pay the $10 minimum billable + 2 cents per kwh of NBCs consumed off the grid(my penalty for not running in self consumption mode as much as possible).
Hopefully that rule is based on kwh produced and not WHEN those kwh are put back on the grid.
And when do you lose the overproduction if you exceed the 110%? Every month or only at true-up. i.e. if does it only result in lose of overproduced energy at wholesale prices or do they just stop crediting you part way through the year once you've put too much energy back onto the grid?
From other comments on other threads, this seems to relate to battery systems and only SGIP systems. That seems to be the consensus from other threads that it applies to systems that get SGIP rebates because PG&E manages that grant process. The concern is not the sending of power from the solar panels but using battery power to get credit at peak rates. I do not know how this will be reconciled with Tesla's plan for Virtual Power Plants by aggregating Powerwalls and sending energy to the grid during peak load times. That will make the grid more resilient and reduce the need to fire up Peaker Plants. Tesla is already doing this in Vermont and Australia on pilot programs. Others have reported that Tesla has filed with CPUC but I don't have details.
I am of the opinion that a battery installed behind the meter does not require any approval by PG&E. The concept is the same if you were to run a generator. There definitely is a building code requirement for a permit and inspection. However if you want to take advantage of VPP you may need some arrangement with PG&E or that may be taken care of by Tesla.
I am of the opinion that a battery installed behind the meter does not require any approval by PG&E. The concept is the same if you were to run a generator. There definitely is a building code requirement for a permit and inspection. However if you want to take advantage of VPP you may need some arrangement with PG&E or that may be taken care of by Tesla.
aesculus
Still Trying to Figure This All Out
I think you need to validate what you want to do. By default Tesla assumes you are going to be applying for the Solar ITC with your Powerwalls. Therefore you can only export solar energy while it is being produced. You can use solar energy that you "banked" in your PWs during a time that you would not have gotten the best rate for them, and then use that power during peak periods.
But you cannot "sell expensive and buy cheap". You cannot buy any power (except during Storm Watch events) that is stored in the PWs.
It sounds like you want to run the PWs in Custom - Cost Savings mode so look into the details on how that works.
The limitation in the ITC is that the batteries have to be charged by solar a certain amount of the time. Tesla's assumption and programming insures that any Powerwalls connected to solar can only be charged from solar. The only exception are events that presumably do not happen frequently enough to go beyond the limitations of the rule.
I do not know of an export limitation in the ITC but there may be one. If so Tesla's plan for VPPs would have to be modified.
I absolutely can. The solar I'm generating during peak time goes directly to the grid while I'm using powerwalls that were charged by solar during off peak. This lets me shift all my peak time usage from the grid to off peak and sell ALL of my peak solar production to the grid at peak times.
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