Being a microgeneration site for the grid

[resybaby]

I really must get my head into gear around this exporting lark - other than the cable over the wall to the neighbours HWT.

Only thing holding me back is the Smart meter - just dont want one, maybe crossing my palm with silver can buy my reluctance?

I'll be honest and say that until recently we'd been consuming all (most) power generated onsite. With the last set of massoovh panels that went in we were seeing regular shutdown of the Victron system and some pretty serious stack charging even on marginal days. Might as well do the right thing AND make a few quid? Get booked in Resy!

As to the overnight charge / day discharge scenario, we'll that's supply and demand economics in'it?

We are quite low users here so after a couple of hours our batteries are generally full from the combined panels, we are definately overspecced for the summer months to compensate for the winter. The Sunsynk system we have then ramps down and goes dormant unless we wack on a big load or SWIMBO has saved up a fortnights laundry and wants to beat the washing machine and tumble dryer to death in one go.
Seems such a waste really as am capable of exporting quite a decent amount of power most sunny days, only at our restricted 3.68kw export limit (taken up by the FIT installation), the cable in the street obviously puny as i live in a cul de sac of 5 houses, but every little helps.
Best i can come up eco wise with for now is feeding the neighbour and saving him buying nasty expensive LPG bottles, helpful to his pocket so giving a rosy glow at least.

[Joeboy]

Well that was handy,

After letting Octopus know yesterday that i'd prodded BG to let them know I'd be leaving the deemed export side of BG I got this message this morning.

"Hello Joe,

Thanks for letting me know and for your patience while working on your export tariff application.

I am delighted to report that your DNO has raised your export MPAN and we're almost ready to enrol it.

Please send British Gas your FIT reading and ask that they use it as your final deemed FIT export reading, in favour of a "negotiated" export tariff with Octopus. Please then forward their confirmation that the FIT export payments have been ended. Once the export status is updated on the CFR, we can enrol your export MPAN and commence the Ongoing tariff export payments. Until we’re made aware of this change, we will be unable to provide Outgoing credit.

Please note that there is likely to be a small gap in export payment whilst your MPAN is enrolled - you will still receive your FiT generation payment.

Please let us know if there is anything else we can help with.

I hope you have a terrific day."

As Nowty said, it is well worth prodding these companies to keep em rolling along and on track for your req's.

Just to see now if No1 son replies early am or late pm with the meter reading.

Application went in on 24th June, 30 days today to get this far. That includes registering the PV system with DNO and getting SWMBO's name on the Octopus account as the FIT is in her name. Two stumbling blocks to be aware of.

[Joeboy]

I really must get my head into gear around this exporting lark - other than the cable over the wall to the neighbours HWT.

Only thing holding me back is the Smart meter - just dont want one, maybe crossing my palm with silver can buy my reluctance?

I'll be honest and say that until recently we'd been consuming all (most) power generated onsite. With the last set of massoovh panels that went in we were seeing regular shutdown of the Victron system and some pretty serious stack charging even on marginal days. Might as well do the right thing AND make a few quid? Get booked in Resy!

As to the overnight charge / day discharge scenario, we'll that's supply and demand economics in'it?

We are quite low users here so after a couple of hours our batteries are generally full from the combined panels, we are definately overspecced for the summer months to compensate for the winter. The Sunsynk system we have then ramps down and goes dormant unless we wack on a big load or SWIMBO has saved up a fortnights laundry and wants to beat the washing machine and tumble dryer to death in one go.
Seems such a waste really as am capable of exporting quite a decent amount of power most sunny days, only at our restricted 3.68kw export limit (taken up by the FIT installation), the cable in the street obviously puny as i live in a cul de sac of 5 houses, but every little helps.
Best i can come up eco wise with for now is feeding the neighbour and saving him buying nasty expensive LPG bottles, helpful to his pocket so giving a rosy glow at least.

Just need that switch to go natural in your head and I'm sure you'll be on the process? We've exported 93kWh in a true 7 day week as part of our ongoing test/ public munificence. (Did I really type that)

There are at least 12 weeks of the year when our house is largely empty. That adds up at 15p per kWh on what has been seen in the last week, £167 just from absentee generation. The FIT PV system generates about 3.7MWh pa. My deemed export generates about 2.5p per kWh (guessing and allowing for the 1/2). That's £92.50 pa which feels about right. A classic no brainer for me then. Get paid more, help society, go on holiday.

Balcony view this morning 05.30hrs.

[Joeboy]

That's this morning FIT meter figure away to BG along with a request of confirmation that they have ceased the deemed export contract.

Hopefully hear back soon from them. Fingers

[Joeboy]

That was fast! Same day confirmation from Britsh Gas that deemed export contract has ended today.

That confirmation mail forwarded to Octopus. Now just wait for the nod from Octopus and start earning. Plan is to leave the export setting as is for the moment and payment will kick in when it does, hopefully next few days.

I hope this little story helps someone down the road.

[Joeboy]

An update from Octopus, looks like 25th July for going live for Outgoing. 32 days.start to finish. Setting that up to be knocked down.

[Joeboy]

Excellent, we are up and running. First paid export day today!

[Moxi]

Congratulations,

I hope the weather supports your endeavours, sadly another day in the grey clouds and drizzle here, we had a good day Tuesday when we got to 100%SoC and a couple of kW in the car too but either side of that we have seen no sun and generation has ended most days sub 5kWh

We pressed the button to have the annexe meter changed to a smart meter for the MiL - I'm hoping the display will help her visualise whats going on with the flow of power and I can get one of the octopus monitors so I can track it on my phone.

I may as well sign her up for the export too as she currently gets nothing for export and in a normal year there are periods where she would benefit from paid export even if its a few hundreds of kWh in a year.

Moxi

[Adokforme]

Excellent, we are up and running. First export day today!

Congratulations Joeboy, looks like you navigated that route very effectively. Ours took about three months.

[Joeboy]

Thanks lads, kind of you to say. Sorry to hear it took 3 months AD.

I had a complaint open on the time it took to replace No1 son's twin dumb meters to a single smart meter. The change over is the 30th July for that job.

When I applied to take my own account onto Octopus Outgoing via the front door, the guy who was dealing with No1's kinda swept in and got on with it. Said he didn't know much about the process but he'd get into it. So I think we may have had a bit of insider interdepartmental help to speed the process along?

To be honest DNO, BG and Octopus have been excellent, as has Nowty in pointers along the way. Even with the unregistered PV system stumble, declaration and then onto G98 I had a direct phonecall from DNO lady to help me along.

A lot of helpful white hats got involved in the process I'd say? I've now set my gear (hwt & stack) to charge middle of the night in the downtime period and I'll do my bit through the day and make a few bob.

Feels great to know that the various direct DC systems and even the micros I have are essentially purified and help too to lessen grid load around our house on the cul-de-sac. Clever bits of kit these hybrid inverters. Seeing them in a new light.



In the last 10 days of exporting to grid we've been managing an average of 18.5kWh per day. I've stretched the times a little today to see if we hit 20kWh. I'd like to average around there.

For anyone else going for it. Check first for your MCS cert and check that DNO is aware of the system on the grid. That can save a few days ahead of time. Also make sure FIT holder is registered on the Octopus account too. Finally, talk to FIT supplier early in the process to let them know you are leaving. In my case there was a 7 day delay in my approach to them and reply from them.

I stated clearly what I wanted (to leave deemed export portion of fit) and they came back after the 7 days with a mail to reply to with closing figure. After that they were quick to respond with a confirmation of leaving mail.which I sent to Octopus. I can see how the 7 day response or lack of clarity to req's in the initial Sally could lose time, best avoided.

Cheers lads!

Moxi, worth doing even if it's not consistent.