MCS + DIY?

[Crofter]

8 minutes ago, kommando said:

You best get an annual production forecast for your postcode and panel orientation for 2kw of panels and then set it against usage. 

 

One example, there are others

 

https://photovoltaic-software.com/pv-softwares-calculators/online-free-photovoltaic-software/pvgis

I'm not actually planning on sticking with a 2kw system.

Just want to get the MCS cert so that I can get export, then I'll add additional panels later.

Partly this is due to cost savings, and partly because I may need to do some work on my roof first.

I've run numbers and should be able to get around 747kwhr/yr per installed KW, on a S-facing ground mount.

Mixing it up a bit to include the E/W house roof gives me an average of 675kwhr/yr per kw.

 

[Dillsue]

7 hours ago, Crofter said:

I'm not actually planning on sticking with a 2kw system.

Just want to get the MCS cert so that I can get export, then I'll add additional panels later.

 

You do know that youll only get export payments on the MCS registered capacity?? You can add as many panels as you want but if your annual export is equivalent to a system obviously larger than 2kw then its easy for your SEG payer to spot and stop all payments

[Crofter]

2 hours ago, Dillsue said:

You do know that youll only get export payments on the MCS registered capacity?? You can add as many panels as you want but if your annual export is equivalent to a system obviously larger than 2kw then its easy for your SEG payer to spot and stop all payments

I'm aware that this could be a risk.

Trying to get an idea of what would actually happen in practice.

I'm assuming that if I modify the system to add E/W panels, but keep the peak output within the original limit, I should be ok?

[Dillsue]

Adding panels  facing any direction still bumps up your generation and if the self consumption proportion remains the same then your export will go up over what a typical 2kw system would do.

 

Whether it's detectable or if anyone even checks is another question. 

 

 

 

[Nickfromwales]

1 hour ago, Dillsue said:

Adding panels  facing any direction still bumps up your generation and if the self consumption proportion remains the same then your export will go up over what a typical 2kw system would do.

 

Whether it's detectable or if anyone even checks is another question. 

 

 

 

So what happens if someone registers a (say) 5kW hybrid inverter with 4kWp of solar, and then adds batteries on the DC side, and then force discharges into the grid? MCS etc doesn't require any information of what's on the DC side of a hybrid, so the system could be 'legally' garnished with 15-20kWh of batteries and then they could be discharged as the inverter won't show more then the 5kW of capacity but it will be exporting that value for a lot longer. 

How could they ever police / enforce this?

[Dillsue]

The batteries would still be charged from an oversized array so total export would still increase aside from efficiency losses and the users ability to self consume more with a battery. Same total kwh with batteries just pushed through the meter at different times??

 

The risk of it being checked/monitored is hypothetical but fairly easy to do