Energy Matters Forums

[Monkeytom]

I have a 2Kw grid tie system that has been in place since June 2009. It has 2 kW Panels north facing and 1Kw East facing and 1Kw West facing as a virtual tracking system, it works great.
A year ago we installed an off grid system that is completely seperate it has 5Kw of panels and two Pip4048HS inverters with a 20KwH LiFePO4 battery and this supplies most of our power.
Last week I had a call from Energex asking why they were paying me more FIT in the last 12 months?
I said it was because I had installed an. Off grid system and that was supplying most of our power,
He said "that was not in the theme of the sceme" and I would loose my FIT.
I asked if he could show me where I had done the wrong thing in writing and he would not.
And said battery systems were not allowed,
He just said he would send an inspector,
I said make sure he has a piece of paper showing me where it's against the rules. End of call.

[Gordon-Loomberah]

I don't think that Energex has any say in what you have in the way of an off-grid system, and it shouldn't effect your FiT.

Even for grid-connected systems:
"It’s been reported the Government has also rejected recommendations that Scheme participants should lose their feed-in tariff if they install battery systems; an issue that may have been preventing some Queensland solar households from acquiring home energy storage."

http://www.energymatters.com.au/renewab ... us-em5797/

[tom rickard]

I'd read your contract carefully, one of the contracts I read was written in such a way that any solar energy storage was cause to end FIT payments. If you took the contract literally, even solar garden lights would be cause for stopping payments. It didn't specify that solar energy storage had to be in conjunction with the existing system.

Good luck.

[Monkeytom]

Thanks for the link Gordon, that seems very clear.
I had spoken already to my installer and he was of the opinion that my off grid system was nothing to do with Energex, and should not have any bearing on my on grid system or FIT.
In fact he said he had installed many solar PV battery systems for swimming pools that were seperate to the mains and they did not affect FIT.
Peter I have read my contract closely and it is called "Network connection agreement for inverter energy systems (IES) Photovoltaic systems and microgenerators"
I believe my Network connected grid tie system is compliant with their rules and I know it does not export more than the contracted 2Kw but I am not a Lawyer and I know legal eagles can make black into white but it won't be without a fight,
I also believe my off grid system that's not Network connected is a seperate entity and should not affect out FIT.
We have made life changing decisions around our power use and supply, and the building of our electric vehicle project for what I like to think are the right reasons.
I believe if everybody did the same it would be a better cleaner world.
I will however be happy to show the inspector the non operational street light out front which has had a broken wire hanging down for over a year now and see if he can get someone to fix it.

[Monkeytom]

Just a quick update, The Energex inspector visited last week, A nice bloke, he needed to see my Grid Tie Inverter and noted the size from the tag on the side of the CMS2000 he asked about its output and why I had a muffin fan blowing air on it, I said that before I added the vertual tracking extra panels it used to output 12+kWh on a good sunny day and would get very hot to touch and now it does 20+ on a good sunny day and only runs warm to the touch, he was happy with that, he asked if my Off grid was seperate with a change over switch and I said yes it is. My house load can be switched off grid or flick the switch and it can be On grid one or the other. He was happy with that and left, so we will see. If I hear anything more about it I will let you know. Tom

[davidg]

he asked if my Off grid was seperate with a change over switch and I said yes it is. My house load can be switched off grid or flick the switch and it can be On grid one or the other. He was happy with that and left, so we will see.

I'm not sure your in the clear, but we shall see.

I generally take it step further so no electrical distributor has any jurisdiction at all and therefore have no right to even have a look, but I'll interested in seeing how you go.

[Monkeytom]

Well I received my power bill yesterday and it's normal, got my FIT credit, so I guess that was a storm in a tea cup.
I finally got the plumber to install my Solar hot water panels on the roof and hook them up to the tank. It's a Dux split system and has a small pump so the next power bill should show a useful saving as we don't have off peak and all power used from grid is now 25.88 cents per KWh and I suspect we have been using about 600 a quarter to heat water, so an extra $150 a bill or $600 a year in my pocket thanks sunshine.