The SA Power Networks (SAPN) from South Australia examines the opportunity to offer SWER customers flexible export options and to end the installers on the shoulder about compliance with flexible solar exports in general.
Flexible solarports enable PV systems to adapt to network conditions based on signals from a distributed network service provider (DSNP) to compatible intelligent solar inverter connected to the Internet. This can enable a much higher maximum export restriction for a large part of the time than the fixed 5 kW border for the individual phase, which most DNSPS allow.
Sapn is an Australian and global pioneer more flexible (also known as dynamic) exports; Offer an option that varies between 1.5 kW and 10 kW per phase depending on the network capacity at the time of export. From July 2023, SAPN made this available via a staged rollout for more new/updated solar customers.
If it is available, existing solar customers can also choose to switch (like SQS Trevor), while new and updated solar customers have no large selection. You can constantly select between a 1.5 kW fixed export limit or the flexible option.
Flexible exports hope for SWER customers
Those who have not yet benefited from flexible solar exports include regional customers who are delivered by SWer lines (Earth-Rendurn) with single-wire return. These customers have single cables for their property and were only able to install up to 5 kW solar and 5 kW battery inverter capacity.
Sapn wants to change that; Inspection:
“These customers may also be able to export up to 10 kW from their systems. However, we find that some areas will be more limited in their export capacity than others and customers in certain regions may not export at all. “
According to SAPN, more information about the requirements for the installation of solar and battery systems in SWER networks is provided when the option is available.
Compliance still a problem
While the recognition of considerable progress in compliance with compliance in general has been achieved, according to SAPN, SAPN are that about a quarter of all flexible export sites are not compliant. Compliance is not only important for SAPN, but also for installers and their customers – not for the percentage percentage of regulations over 90% risks that are blocked from the creation of new applications.
“A user is automatically notified by e -mail and his Smartsa dashboard if his percentage falls under the benchmark of 90%,” says Sapn. “If the user does not repair compliant applications, our 21-day three-strike warning and blocking controls begin.”
SAPN encourages the installers to ensure that inverter firmware is updated to the latest version. OEM guides are observed for their specific flexible exports and to look for the compatibility with multiple distribution installations at the manufacturers.
You can find more information about compliance here.
Do you think of a flexible export switch?
Do you have an existing solar power system on the roof in SA and the option is interested, but you are concerned about how your exports can be influenced?
SAPN has a simple online tool with which you can not only check the authorization, but also indicative performance information about the export capacity in your area in the past 12 months. It is not a guarantee, just an indicator – read the “Important information” section under the results of the tool to obtain further information.
In my neck of the forest, the full 10 kW was available in at least 98% of the cases between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. according to the tool, based on a 10 kW sun system -this result has not changed since I last checked almost 8 months ago.
SAPN’s goal is to double the amount of solar energy capacity on the roof in its network until the end of this year, and flexible exports are a very important instrument to achieve this. Regarding other Australian states and territories, you will see this article together a few months ago and summarize what happens with flexible exports, where and when.
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