Beating the Achilles Heel of Grid-Tied Solar Electric Systems

Posted August 07, 2013 10:59 PM by Alex Wilson

Related Categories: Energy Solutions, GreenSpec Insights

A new inverter from SMA allows us to draw some daytime power from our P system when
the grid is down! even without "atteries
The #$ %& P array on our "arn is a group-net-metered
system with some of the output going to other houses' Click to enlarge.
Photo Credit: Alex Wilson
One of the biggest complaints I hear about most solar-electric photo!oltaic, P"# systems is that $hen the
grid goes do$n you can%t use any of the po$er that%s produced& Consumers ha!e spent thousands of dollars
on a P" system, and during an extended po$er outage during a bright, sunny day $hen the P" modules are
certainly generating electricity, they are disappointed that none of that electricity can be used&
'his problem applies to net-metered P" systems that do not include battery bac(-up& Off-grid systems $or(
)ust fine $hen the grid is do$n, but the !ast ma)ority of the roughly *++,+++ P" systems in the ,&-& are
net-metered systems $ithout batteries, and most of them lose all functionality $hen the grid is do$n&
.i!en my focus on resilient design including my founding of the Resilient /esign Institute last year#, I
$anted to install a solar-electric system at 0eonard 1arm that $ould ha!e at least some functionality during
po$er outages&
(ull islanding capa"ility
I $ish $e had full 2islanding3 capability $ith our P" system& Islanding refers to the ability for a P" system
and the loads connected to it to be separated from the utility grid during outages so that no electricity could
be fed into the grid and in)ure utility $or(ers $ho are trying to repair do$n lines&
&e have three inverters in our system that are housed in
a downstairs room in the #$#) "arn' The one with Secure Power Supply is the third from the
right'
Photo Credit: Alex Wilson
1ully islandable P" systems re4uire speciali5ed in!erters along $ith battery ban(s that allo$ them to
function off-grid& 'he battery ban( not only pro!ides for functionality at night, but it also establishes the
proper $a!eform during the daytime $hen the grid is do$n so that AC po$er can be deli!ered to the house&
-ome islandable systems, such as the Out6ac( Radian and -chneider 7lectric%s 8antrex 8W-series in!erters,
rely on a single in!erter that can connect to the grid and a battery ban( and s$itch bac(-and-forth
automatically& -uch in!erters communicate $ith and dra$ electricity from the battery ban( during a po$er
outage and also send electricity into the grid during normal operation& 'hese are sometimes referred to as
bi-modal in!erters&
'here are other, battery in!erters that can be added to a P" system that already has one or more P"
in!erters& In!erter manufacturer -9A offers such an option, the -unny Island in!erter that s$itches bet$een
the battery ban( and -9A%s -unny 6oy grid-tie in!erters $ith fully integrated controls& -9A%s approach is
proprietary, in that the -unny Island battery in!erters only tal( to -unny 6oy grid-tie in!erters&
'he 9--PA7 in!erters from 9agnum 7nergy offer similar functionality, but can be integrated into systems
$ith in!erters from other manufacturers& 'here are !arious companies that pac(age this type of in!erter
$ith a battery ban( and the needed controls to pro!ide islanding, or 2AC-coupling3 $hen the grid is do$n&
9id:ite -olar is one such pac(ager of retrofit (its&
With any of these options for full islanding capability, there is a significant cost for this type of islanding
capability& 1or a typical, residential-scale ; (ilo$att (W# system, the cost ranges from about <=,+++ to
<>;,+++, according to 9ar( Cerasuolo of Out6ac( Po$er 'echnologies, $ho did an analysis of AC-coupling
options& 'his cost includes the speciali5ed in!erter, battery ban(, and necessary controls&
*etail of our Sunny Boy +,,,T--.S inverter' The outlet
"eneath it provides emergency power during outages /when the sun is shining0'
Photo Credit: Alex Wilson
A new! low-cost approach
As I said, $e didn%t go $ith full islanding capability, e!en though I $ould ha!e li(ed to do so?and may in the
future& 'he cost of the battery system and other components $as )ust too much for our budget that has
been stretched pretty thin $ith our complex building pro)ect?$hich is finally nearing completion&
What $e did do, ho$e!er, $as install a brand-ne$ in!erter from -9A that has an outlet that can continue
deli!ering some electricity $hen the sun is shining during a po$er outage& -9A calls this feature 2-ecure
Po$er -upply&3 9ounted beneath our @ (ilo$att (W# -unny 6oy @+++'0-,- in!erter is an outlet that can
deli!er >,@++ $atts >A&@ amps at >A+ !olts# during the daytime the po$er grid is do$n& ,nli(e other
islanding systems, there is no re4uirement for battery storage $ith this option&
'his isn%t enough po$er to operate all the loads in our house that I%d li(e to po$er during a po$er outage,
but it%s far better than nothing& 'he cost is essentially the same as a standard -unny 6oy in!erter though a
separate outlet has to be installed#& Ours $as installed by Integrated -olar Applications in 6rattleboro, $hich
installed the entire >= (W net-metered system $ith ; (W being o$ned by a neighbor#&
0i(e other models in the -9A '0 line, our @+++'0-,- is a transformerless in!erter, $hich is smaller and
lighter than standard in!erters, and it offers e!en higher efficiency: roughly BCD&
Emergency power uses
While >,@++ $atts is a significant amount of a!ailable po$er, this -ecure Po$er -upply feature is not really
intended for loads that ha!e significant surges as they cycle on or that could be harmed by fluctuating
current, such as refrigerators& It%s really designed for charging cell phones and laptop computers&
6ut I%ll be carefully examining po$er consumption and surge demand $hen $e shop for a ne$ chest free5er
?it $ould be !ery nice to be able to po$er that free5er during the daytime during extended po$er outages&
1ur P array "eing installed on the structurally reinforced
roof with standing-seam metal roofing'
Photo Credit: Alex Wilson
'here may be a -undan5er chest free5er, for example a free5er made especially for solar systems that can
$or( in /C or AC mode#, that $ill $or( $ell $ith the limited output from our in!erter& At the !ery least, $e%ll
be able to (eep our cell phones and laptops charged and po$er our cable modem and router&
Still in limited supply
I had heard about the ne$ *+++'0-,-, E+++'0-,-, and @+++'0-,- in!erters late last year, and heard that
they $ould be shipping in the first half of A+>*, but it turns out that $e got one of the !ery first to be
installed in the ,&-&?or at least in the :ortheast& /emand is !ery high for these systems&
I suspect that $ithin a fe$ years, most grid-tie in!erters $ill include this emergency-po$er option& I ha!en%t
had to test it out yet, but $ill be ready for that ice storm this coming $interF
Alex is founder of BuildingGreen, Inc. and executive editor of Environmental Building Nes. In !"#! he
founded the $esilient %esign Institute. &o 'ee( u( ith Alex)s latest articles and musings, *ou can sign u(
for his &itter feed.
H1& A G23* 4155E4TE* S1-A2 P1&E2 S6STEM &127S
hile the technology !ehin" sol#r po$er %#y see% co%ple&, $hen !ro'en "o$n, gri" connect is e#sy to
un"erst#n" #s it only re(uires # )e$ co%ponents inst#lle" in your ho%e or !usiness*

The sun shines on the solar panels generating DC electricity
The DC electricity is fed into a solar inverter that converts it to 240V 50Hz AC
electricity.
The 240V AC electricity is used to poer appliances in your ho!e.
"urplus electricity is fed #ac$ into the !ain grid.
hene+er the sun shines ,#n" e+en in o+erc#st $e#ther-, the sol#r cells gener#te electricity* .he gri" connect
in+erter con+erts the /0 electricity pro"uce" !y the sol#r p#nels into 2102 A0 electricity, $hich c#n then !e
use" !y the property3househol"*
I) # gri" connect syste% is pro"ucing %ore po$er th#n is !eing consu%e", the surplus is )e" into the %#ins
po$er gri"* So%e electricity co%p#nies $ill %eter the electricity )e" into the gri" !y your syste% #n" pro+i"e
# cre"it on your !ill*
hen the sol#r cells #re not pro"ucing po$er, )or e&#%ple #t night, your po$er is supplie" !y the %#ins po$er
gri" #s usu#l* .he energy ret#iler ch#rges the usu#l r#te )or the po$er use"*
As #ll o) the co%ponents in # gri" connect syste% h#+e no %o+ing p#rts, you c#n e&pect # long #n" h#ssle )ree
li)e )ro% your sol#r po$er syste%4 Generous go+ern%ent rene$#!le energy re!#tes %e#n you c#n #lso s#+e
thous#n"s on # gri" connect syste% )or # li%ite" ti%e4
Installing a grid connect solar system
Most custo%ers choose # roo) %ounte" sol#r syste%* 5or %ost o) Austr#li#, the %o"ules shoul" !e north )#cing
in or"er to t#'e )ull #"+#nt#ge o) the sun*
6ur #ccre"ite" gri" connect inst#llers $ill #i% to inst#ll the %o"ules #t #n #ngle $hich ensures th#t the
gl#ss )#ce o) the %o"ules is positione" #t 90 "egrees to the sun )or %ost o) the "#y* As #n e&#%ple, in Sy"ney
this #ngle $oul" !e #ppro&i%#tely 30710 "egrees to the hori8ont#l* St#n"#r" Austr#li#n roo)s usu#lly h#+e #n
#ngle o) ele+#tion o) 922 "egrees, $hich is #ccept#!le* .his pro+i"es # close #ppro&i%#tion to the position in
$hich # sol#r #rr#y pro"uces its %#&i%u% output* 5or inst#ll#tions on )l#t roo)s #n ele+#te" #rr#y )r#%e #llo$s
the sol#r %o"ules to !e inst#lle" #t #n #ngle o) ele+#tion o) #ppro&i%#tely 30 "egrees )ro% the hori8ont#l*
Whats the right size system? How much will it cost?
As e+eryone:s nee"s #re "i))erent #n" the gener#tion potenti#l o) sol#r po$er "i))ers )ro% pl#ce to pl#ce , #
(uic' $#y is to use our )ree sol#r (uote syste% to "eter%ine the cost #n" esti%#te" !ene)it* ;ou c#n #lso
le#rn %ore #!out sol#r po$er syste% si8ing here*