Sol-Ark 15K Rejected by PG&E in California

[Greg-G]

Just completed 2 Grid tied installs in California in the PG&E utility area with the Sol-Ark 15k.... and PG&E denied us (Please see the attached for their response).
I have contacted Sol-Ark and they are aware of the issues, but other than acknowledging that there is an issue I have net received any response to my other questions as of yet. Waiting patiently...
I asked PG&E via email if they could provide a PG&E approved list of battery capable equipment as well, sitll waiting...

Does anybody know if the Sol-Ark 12k inverters are fully approved in California in the PG&E utility area?

I have two other installs in the que but am concerned to move forward.

All of the units are on the CEC approved list but there are disclaimers that you must pay attention to on the CEC Site. You must also download the file to see all of the columns.

Solar Equipment List - CA Energy Commission

solarequipment.energy.ca.gov

Note that inverters on the Grid Support Inverter List are capable of different levels of advanced functionality. It is important that you verify with the applicable utility, AHJ, or responsible entity whether a specific inverter contains the level of functionality required by their “smart inverter” definition.

Has anyone else had these issues here in California, and beyond I understand that many states are adopting California PUC rules for this.

Greg

 

[Nobodybusiness]

Just completed 2 Grid tied installs in California in the PG&E utility area with the Sol-Ark 15k.... and PG&E denied us (Please see the attached for their response).
I have contacted Sol-Ark and they are aware of the issues, but other than acknowledging that there is an issue I have net received any response to my other questions as of yet. Waiting patiently...
I asked PG&E via email if they could provide a PG&E approved list of battery capable equipment as well, sitll waiting...

Does anybody know if the Sol-Ark 12k inverters are fully approved in California in the PG&E utility area?

I have two other installs in the que but am concerned to move forward.

All of the units are on the CEC approved list but there are disclaimers that you must pay attention to on the CEC Site. You must also download the file to see all of the columns.

Solar Equipment List - CA Energy Commission

solarequipment.energy.ca.gov

Note that inverters on the Grid Support Inverter List are capable of different levels of advanced functionality. It is important that you verify with the applicable utility, AHJ, or responsible entity whether a specific inverter contains the level of functionality required by their “smart inverter” definition.

Has anyone else had these issues here in California, and beyond I understand that many states are adopting California PUC rules for this.

Greg

So they want the ability to control it?

Not sure what those comments mean..

 

[robby]

I don't know who wrote that document or what they were smoking when they wrote it. They are saying that they want the ability to throttle the power and also be able to shutdown the Inverter power and control the scheduling of when the power is used/delivered and the quantity!

The 15K can do all of this if let them have Administrator account access to your Inverter but why would anyone want to give them this control and I also suspect that they want to be able to do it using some other kind of more direct method.
Which Inverter on the Planet allows a power company to do all of those things and why would anyone want to buy it.

I suggest you call and speak to Sol-Ark and let them make some calls and get back to you.

 

[sunsurfer]

Company not woke enough?

 

[fafrd]

Just completed 2 Grid tied installs in California in the PG&E utility area with the Sol-Ark 15k.... and PG&E denied us (Please see the attached for their response).
I have contacted Sol-Ark and they are aware of the issues, but other than acknowledging that there is an issue I have net received any response to my other questions as of yet. Waiting patiently...
I asked PG&E via email if they could provide a PG&E approved list of battery capable equipment as well, sitll waiting...

Does anybody know if the Sol-Ark 12k inverters are fully approved in California in the PG&E utility area?

I have two other installs in the que but am concerned to move forward.

All of the units are on the CEC approved list but there are disclaimers that you must pay attention to on the CEC Site. You must also download the file to see all of the columns.

Solar Equipment List - CA Energy Commission

solarequipment.energy.ca.gov

Note that inverters on the Grid Support Inverter List are capable of different levels of advanced functionality. It is important that you verify with the applicable utility, AHJ, or responsible entity whether a specific inverter contains the level of functionality required by their “smart inverter” definition.

Has anyone else had these issues here in California, and beyond I understand that many states are adopting California PUC rules for this.

Greg

I wonder what this will end up meaning for legacy ‘non-smart’ solar installations that reach the end of their (reduced) grandfathering period and get transitioned to NEM 3.0…

It seems as though the only sensible home solar architecture in California is going to end up being one where the grid is purely used as an as-needed generator (AC-battery charger when solar power is insufficient).

 

[toms]

I don't know who wrote that document or what they were smoking when they wrote it. They are saying that they want the ability to throttle the power and also be able to shutdown the Inverter power and control the scheduling of when the power is used/delivered and the quantity!

The 15K can do all of this if let them have Administrator account access to your Inverter but why would anyone want to give them this control and I also suspect that they want to be able to do it using some other kind of more direct method.
Which Inverter on the Planet allows a power company to do all of those things and why would anyone want to buy it.

I suggest you call and speak to Sol-Ark and let them make some calls and get back to you.

In Australia that is exactly how it is. In order to connect an inverter to the grid it has to be able to be shut down remotely by the utility company.

 

[timselectric]

I seen this coming.
As I've said before.
Run forest run. lol

 

[sunsurfer]

Geez

In Australia that is exactly how it is. In order to connect an inverter to the grid it has to be able to be shut down remotely by the utility company.

All in the name of safety. Would suck to have PG and Fee shut down your cooler when it hits 104F.

Sooooo glad I left that commie state years ago when it was obvious back then. I'm praying for all you that are still within enemy lines. God be with you and good luck.

 

[fafrd]

In Australia that is exactly how it is. In order to connect an inverter to the grid it has to be able to be shut down remotely by the utility company.

The shutdown is not the issue. That’s been the case in California almost from day 1.

The biggest issue is being able to suck the power out of your battery when the utility decides it wants it (serve peak demand on the grid).

It’s also unclear from the way that this is written whether the utility has the ability to throttle-back power export to the point where you are importing power or not.

 

[Ellcon123]

They are not shutting down your supply, just export to grid? As more solar comes online the grid is becoming overloaded so they need to throttle supply back. Certainly what's happening in Aus.

 

[fafrd]

They are not shutting down your supply, just export to grid? As more solar comes online the grid is becoming overloaded so they need to throttle supply back. Certainly what's happening in Aus.

Throttling-back export is fair game and has been part of the rules for a while now.

With a sophisticated-enough system, you can always capture energy the grid decides it does not want when you have it available into a battery.

Of course, if the grid causes your power generation to throttle-back to the point of causing you to import, that’s crossing a line because they are forcing you to purchase energy you did not need…

But the biggest issue is the grid deciding it wants more power and having the power to command your hybrid inverter to drain your battery.

That can mean energy you were saving up to offset consumption overnight is not there when you needed it. So again, you’ll be purchasing power when you didn’t need to…

California is moving a step at a time towards a future where you’ll be credited at wholesale for all export and charged retail for all import.

That, coupled with the utility having the control to decide when your stored energy will be exported (at wholesale pricing) will be a disastrous combination for residential solar…

 

[robby]

In Australia that is exactly how it is. In order to connect an inverter to the grid it has to be able to be shut down remotely by the utility company.

Yes I am used to that and the Sol-Ark will shutdown if the utility company does a frequency shift.
It's all the other requirements that are insane!

 

[timselectric]

It was just a matter of time.
The utility company doesn't want residential production. It's more of a hassle than a benefit to them. (Unless they have complete control of it)
It's being produced at the wrong time and in the wrong place for them.

 

[fafrd]

It was just a matter of time.
The utility company doesn't want residential production. It's more of a hassle than a benefit to them. (Unless they have complete control of it).
It's being produced at the wrong time and in the wrong place for them.

I think this is correct.

That’s why I said earlier that we’re heading to a world where import-only is going to be the only sensible architecture for residential solar.

-generate your own power and store what you are not instantly consuming for overnight power.

-on short winter days or during periods of bad weather, charge your battery using grid power.

 

[timselectric]

The days of having your cake and eating it too, are over.

 

[Cheap 4-life]

Very grateful I live out in the sticks far away from all that nonsense. All I had to do here for inspection is use a UL inverter and have an outdoor solar disconnect on the wall next to the meter base..

 

[Will Prowse]

Sounds like offgrid is the only logical option these days.

 

[timselectric]

Very grateful I live out in the sticks far away from all that nonsense. All I had to do here is use a UL inverter and have an outdoor solar disconnect on the wall next to the meter base..

Oh, you're on their list. They'll get to you eventually. lol

 

[houseofancients]

Oh, you're on their list. They'll get to you eventually. lol

yeah, planning to be cut loose from the mothership before that time

 

[robby]

Sounds like offgrid is the only logical option these days.

I prefer Grid Tied with no Net metering deal.
That way I can use them when I need them and not have them dictate anything to me.