PV Feed In Tariff

Question on Feed In Tariffs for slightly larger than your standard domestic array. Apologies if it has been covered, I looked and could not find it.

I am going to submit an NC7 form to the ESB to get permission to install 30KVA. (I have 3 phase power).

I have read and heard mixed messages on how the feed in tariff for this will work. For 3 phase Micro Generation is under 11KVA, I will be above this so it will be called Mini Generation. I rang ESB, they said nothing to do with them, talk to your provider, I rang Electric Ireland, they say they are paying the same rate to both at 21cent but he did not seem 100% sure so I emailed asking the same question and they have not replied almost two weeks on.

I read online about the Clean Export Premium Tariff which is 13.5cent per KWh. I am confused about where I will stand, I am a high user which some machinery working but getting a price for export will be important to make the economics add up. If they are going to pay 21cent, what is the 13.5cent about?

I also saw on PV installer website that the 13.5cent was fixed for 15 years, another website said that it will drop by a cent a year. What do the knowledge community of Boards.ie understand to be the situation?

My understanding is that you'll be payed a guaranteed rate of 13.5c/kWh which is guaranteed for 15 years

However, it may be worth considering your options and whether it's worthwhile. I understand the fees for the NC7 aren't cheap (~€1100?) so you'd need to factor that into payback period

Since you're on 3 phase you can go up to 11kVA of export power on an NC6 form, assuming that you limit the export of your system. This is free of charge to register

It might be worth looking at the generally higher export rates for system on the CEG, Flogas for example are offering 24c/kWh

Those rates can change at any time however

It's also important to understand what kind of meter/tariffs you have and whether your export will be metered, or you'll receive an estimated amount called deemed export

Since you've a lot of machinery, I'm guessing you'll be aiming for a high rate of self consumption. Is there any possibility to automate some of your machinery to run when you have a lot of excess solar power?

So in that case you can prevent electricity being exported to the grid (and probably imported another time at higher cost)

You may also want to invest in some batteries to enable you to store energy instead of sending it to the grid

Strictly speaking on NC6 limiting your export is not allowed. With micro generation the total capacity of all inverters is all that ESBN consider. There is no max export limit. so if he has 2 inverters capable of 20kVA in total that is not allowed as about the 11kVA limit. With NC7 you are allowed employ export limitation devices. But as someone commented in another thread plenty of us are employing export limitation and have 1 or more Inverters larger than 6kVA (single phase)

This is my main problem with the NC7. It's a 1k bet on your local substation having capacity!

Just off the phone to electric ireland who owe me about €300 for FIT last year.

They told me you have to ring them to let them know where to pay the money. As if they didnt know already.

I asked would i have been paid if i didnt ring. No was the answer. So ring them.

And its their work that needs to be done, so no one else can do it too. So it's before the meter.

Yup - I mentioned it previously in the thread slave, but got that same sentence pretty much word for word from them when I left. In my case they were refusing to pay for FIT while I was with them, unless I got a smart meter with my NEW supplier. As for what my current smart meter status with my new supplier has to do with them was beyond me.

Got a cheque in the door a few months back with the money they were legally obliged to give to me.

Your right the level of horse$hit going around on this is criminal.

I wouldnt mind a 900 quid refundable deposit or as you say a 250 site visit charge. It's excessive as it is though and it's discouraging me from doing it!

Hi - just curious if EI issued your bill yet? Still waiting here.. not mad to give them money but wondering whats up

Generation tab doesn't seem to work for me, I guess it's not optimised for mobile devices

It just doesn't work for anyone 😂

Are you using Firefox by any chance?