Microfit and net metering

[Brian Spilsbury]

I don't have it connected yet (see other thread about the details) but before the 10Kw MF system went in, I had a smal GT inverter out in my barn connected to 200 watts of PV. The barn had a single 115 line running to it (about 400ft) and the only thing I ran out there was a couple of small trickle chargers for tractor batteries and an overhead light.
With the panels and inverter, I had better light and I kept batteries plugged in all the time.
Next, I connected a small GT inverter and many days, I would see a positive effect at the panel in the house.
\With the microfit install, the 120 line was replaced with a 240 and the trackers are powered from a subpanel in the barn. YES!!! I now have real juice out there!
My question is, why don't a put my 200 watts (or 500 for that matter) of PV back up and GT inverter to the house like I did before? The benefit will be even better now that I don't have as much parasitic loss as before.

[Ralph Day]

Bear in mind Brian that the OPA rules state that 10kw per connection point is the max. Is it worth putting your 20 year contract at 80.2 cents per kwhr at risk for minimal gain? (I'm assuming that your proposal would feed back more than your MF is putting in).

Not sure if i'm reading your post correctly. I have 2.1kw pv and 1kw wind and was prevented from net metering on a different meter (same transformer...connection point) with a full 10kw microFIT. Drat, foiled again.

Thinking long term, 20 year term, doesn't seem worth the risk to me

[Brian Spilsbury]

My understanding is the solar meter "net meters" but the new smart meters only run one way. I think it's impossible to wind them back no matter how much power you add into your home circuits.
I didnt know for sure but I thought the net metering connection wasn't allowed with a Microfit installation if you converted to it.....they actually exchanged the meter so you couldn't

[Rob Beckers]

I'm not entirely following what you're trying to do Brian: Do you want to backfeed the house circuits (with a small amount of power), or are you planning to backfeed the MicroFIT meter with the GT inverter?

By the way, the new meters have two separate registers. One for power going out to the grid (production), one for power coming in (use) from the grid. So they can track both. I'm assuming you get paid for the net of the two, since inverters, trackers, and other stuff also uses more electricity than you produce at certain times, so the 'use' register will count some.

MicroFIT does not preclude net-metering AFAIK. For MicroFIT a new meter is placed, and you get a new account. You can still do net-metering on your old account (for the house), by connecting to that panel.

-RoB-

[Brian Spilsbury]

what i would LIKE to do is use a small GT inverter to feed up to 500 watts into the house circuits. It wouldn't be enough to supply the demand in the house, so net metering wouldn't happen at all. I'm just wondering what the utility might have to say about it.

[Dave Turpin]

Legally, net metering requires an interconnection agreement, which is separate from the uF. Also, since you are at the 10kW limit, you would exceed the production allowed at the transformer... Ignore the fact that you won't actually be supplying anything, that's not how the utility thinks.