Solar to Grid Micro-generator in Sydney, Australia

Positive Grounding Kit fitted by Sydney Energy Cooperative Ltd 25/7/08

Inverter failed to start; September 13, 20, 22, 27 and 28 resulted in 0 production due to the failure of the Sunny Boy inverter to start generating. These should have been 5KWh+ days. The inverter initializes then stays in Waiting mode. Sunny Data graphs for each day indicate the 180V startup voltage was not reached by the 6 Evergreen panels. Technical support suggests the Evergreen panels struggle to produce the threshold startup voltage due to reduced panel performance from raised ambient temperature of 18-35 degrees Celsius. Fix options include replace all panels with a different brand of panel that is more heat tolerant OR add an extra Evergreen panel to increase the PV string voltage.

Update 19/10/2008; One more Evergreen 180W panel added (now 7) by Sydney Energy Cooperative Ltd to photovoltaic string produces 30% more power by working the inverter harder and longer every day. Now a 1.3kW system.

Increased renewable energy from 25% to 50% for grid supply by paying an extra 2.75 cents per kWh for metered consumption (There is also a '1 month free' promotion paid as a rebate at the end of the first year)

December '08s renewable energy average is 93%, or inversely, non-renewable energy is 7% of total energy consumption - the combined effect of summer PV production and purchased renewable energy from the grid.

1 Megawatt hour of photovoltaic production since System commissioned 1/6/2008 (8 Months). I expect to produce around 2 Megawatt hours each year with the 30% efficiency gains made through system re-design 5 months after implementation. This equates to a $400pa reduction in grid power cost.

Updated 15/5/2009 - 1 Tonne of CO2 saved since system commissed 1/6/2008 (11.5 months)

19/7/2010 first $1000 income in two years of generation.1/1/2010 tariff price jumped from 20 cents to 66 cents per kWh thanks to the NSW gross feed-in tariff.

1/2/2011 Upgraded grid renewable energy supply from 50% to 100%. Nice Feeling! Now my Solar production is a bonus and I'm using some of my 66c rebate to pay the increase in cost, around $300 per year based on 2010-11 bills.