It took a fairly long chat conversation, but I was just able to get this option turned on. I now have the "Energy Exports" configuration enabled. The rep said they "checked with engineers" before enabling the option.
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New Powerwall Advanced Options [Toggles for charging from and discharging to grid from powerwalls]
- Thread starter dailo
- Start date
It took a fairly long chat conversation, but I was just able to get this option turned on. I now have the "Energy Exports" configuration enabled. The rep said they "checked with engineers" before enabling the option.
OK, here's the next day's graph, the behavior is slightly different. The green line on the left is a rendering error in the app.
Yesterday the system didn't fill the PW from PV (again I have a huge ratio of PW to PV), so there are no exports during Off Peak. 3-4 p.m. and 9-10 p.m. are Part Peak, so at 3 p.m. it stopped charging/discharging the PWs but instead let the net solar (solar - house loads) be exported. Then at 4 p.m. it started exporting from the PW.
Still a fairly constant 2.7 kW net export of (PV + PW - house loads). And this time it didn't make it all the way to the end of Peak, it ran into the reserve at the end.
So not sure how it chose 2.7 kW for the net export rate on both days. Obviously not a computation based on how much energy it wanted to export (or else it got it wrong the second day). I'm curious what behavior others see, particularly with a different number of PWs (I have 2).
Cheers, Wayne
Any tips on what you did? I can't even get them to "check with Engineers", they just keep telling me that I need to wait for the features to be pushed out no matter what I say.
Same here... they said there was nothing they could do to help me. We ended up agreeing the only way to get help would be to tweet Elon and
Same here... they said there was nothing they could do to help me. We ended up agreeing the only way to get help would be to tweet Elon and
It may just be luck of the draw with which rep answers you. I asked them if it was possible to turn on the Energy Exports features to enable solar time-shifting. They were confused about the term, so asked if I was talking about the VPP. I explained what I meant and what I expected to happen when I turned on "export everything" with time-based configuration. I also mentioned that PG&E's rules appeared just to limit exports to solar production, but not talk about time-shifting.
I'm not sure whether the reps you're talking to are implementing a policy or just don't know that it's possible to turn on the Energy Exports options.
Ok I just called back to Tesla because... bored.
They said after looking at it, PG&E expressly has prohibited my specific account to have grid charging or controlled export to increase stored solar export at peak time. They said someone from PG&E has actually left a note on my account specifically blocking me. She confirmed the only way I'd get "advanced options: grid charging / energy exports" enabled would require a PG&E rep to call Tesla Energy and remove the block.
They said PG&E will not allow any form of "non-Stormwatch" grid charging since I got the ITC. So even though my neighbor has 2x Powerwalls installed 2 months after me which included taking the ITC on the Powerwalls ... he has the grid charging option enabled because PG&E likes that guy.
They aren't sure why the same interconnection would bar me from exporting stored solar (since the ITC doesn't have rules about controlled solar export). But the Tesla rep said I could sign up for the VPP.
PG&E sucks.
They said after looking at it, PG&E expressly has prohibited my specific account to have grid charging or controlled export to increase stored solar export at peak time. They said someone from PG&E has actually left a note on my account specifically blocking me. She confirmed the only way I'd get "advanced options: grid charging / energy exports" enabled would require a PG&E rep to call Tesla Energy and remove the block.
They said PG&E will not allow any form of "non-Stormwatch" grid charging since I got the ITC. So even though my neighbor has 2x Powerwalls installed 2 months after me which included taking the ITC on the Powerwalls ... he has the grid charging option enabled because PG&E likes that guy.
They aren't sure why the same interconnection would bar me from exporting stored solar (since the ITC doesn't have rules about controlled solar export). But the Tesla rep said I could sign up for the VPP.
PG&E sucks.
Sounds like BS to me, I doubt they are keeping track of things on a per PGE account basis.
She said on my specific account, there's a note that says my unique PTO/Interconnection blocks me from having the feature. When I asked them 'what do you mean my specific PTO', they said there's a note that specifically calls out this home should not get this option. So that explains why my neighbor who also has Powerwalls and the ITC could have the feature while I do not. That other home account likely wouldn't have this special block on their account. She said the only way to have the block removed would be if PG&E called Tesla energy at 877 961 7652
I agree. Doubt if they are doing this.
I have the Grid charge and Export functions in my app. I had 3rd party installer, got SGIP and took ITC
Did Tesla submit your PTO? PGE must really hate you if they called Tesla just to tell them to block your account.
So what does your Interconnection Agreement say? If it's a "Non-Export Agreement" for the PWs then it makes sense that you can't use Export Options settings. You system may just be so big that it is subject to a different set of rules than smaller systems.
Cheers, Wayne
My PW's are included in the site export nameplate and export limit.
Keep in mind that I've had a PG&E rep at my house telling me how my solar+ESS was stealing from his pension and he was actively trying to stop me from getting my system installed because my system wasn't in California's best interest. When I spoke with the PG&E guy's department, I was advised that the PG&E person was right... my system was abusing the good faith of PG&E allowing solar and batteries.
So yeah, it doesn't surprise me at all for Tesla to tell me that someone at PG&E blocked me on this. The "bs" some sense is not coming from me. If you want I'll DM you my Tesla Gateway serial and you can call Tesla Energy to validate.
Tesla says they don't care what my PTO says. Tesla needs PG&E to call them to remove the block.
BTW, the sections you posted are relevant to Export Options. For Grid Charging, there's a separate section that says whether the ESS is allowed to grid charge.
Cheers, Wayne
Yeah, I'm 100% not going to be able to grid charge. I simply want to grid export in a controlled fashion. To your point earlier, the choice is one or the other... I want the other.
If I can grid-export my banked solar power in the way you showed in your image during peak time, I'd generate credit to offset the days in the winter I get hosed when I tap into PG&E's peak rates since I don't have enough solar production that day due to clouds/rain.
Plus, PG&E barred me from adding enough solar to charge my EV. So, the only way I'd get enough NEM credit to charge my EV is to bank some NEM credits with some peak exports in a controlled fashion.
It's not like I can peak-time grid export every day and print money. As we discussed in the true-up thread, any banked NEM credits that aren't tied to over-produced kWh go in the trash bin. I just want to be NEM-neutral to the best I can pull off. And right now, PG&E has denied me to add enough solar (Don't we all wish to be h2ofun). And PG&E has denied me the ability to grid charge. And PG&E seems to be denying me the ability to control my exports as defined in my interconnection. This is why h2ofun doesn't care if he lacks the advanced option; he has enough solar to solve the problem. I don't.
OK, that's why I was proposing trying to escalate at Tesla. Why does Tesla need a verbal OK when you have the paperwork that says it's OK? That makes no sense, and you could hope (ha ha) a competent Tesla manager would agree.
Of course, you could try PG&E, but I hear you have had a terrible experience with them. Nonetheless, they should either legally justify the restriction or contact Tesla to remove it. That doesn't mean they will, though.
Cheers, Wayne
For reals, do you want my gateway serial #?
When I was on the phone with Tesla, I asked what it would take to remove the block since my PTO/interconnection expressly allows me the controlled export option (but not the grid charging).
They were 100% clear; PG&E would need to call them because PG&E put the block on my account.