PV FITS payments and changes to installation.

[michael8554]

How much can I alter my 10 year old 3.2kw PV installation without the max-rate FITS payments being reduced ?

For instance, if I had a battery system which required a new Inverter.

Or if part of my house was able to run off-grid during a power cut.

Thanks

 

[binky]

Discuss with your FiT provider before altering anything, they are quite keen on dropping people off the higher tariffs for any excuse possible. Get anything they do agree to in writing/ email just in case.

You should be fine with changing the inverter, just tell them the old one died, and adding batteries. What they dislike most is altering the array.

 

[Barx]

Will probably have to go AC coupled for the battery. Better that way anyway if you have decent FiT as with DC coupled, power goes to the battery before the generation meter sees it. With AC Coupled, it's completley seperate and full generation still goes through meter. the efficiency is slightly lower but still getting full FiT will will no doubt out weigh this.

 

[michael8554]

Thanks everyone.

Had been looking at AC v DC, hadn't appreciated the point that Barx made.

 

[binky]

Thanks everyone.

Had been looking at AC v DC, hadn't appreciated the point that Barx made.

it also saves throwing away a perfectly good solar inverter! Only issue with AC connected batteries is the DNO can get upset about it, even if set for zero export.