[Lee_EONNext]

@Sartori01 Generation and Export work a little differently, so although the limit on installs is 15KW as in terms of system, generating this even if you had a 15KW system, we would need perfect conditions. Even in all of my years here, I would say I have only seen 100 systems directly that install at max peak, I personally used to register 40-60 installs a week from 2015 to around 2017 - So I've seen alot of systems over the years. Even working read validation, it's not often I would be working out generation using the maximum KW possible. Some occasions yes however there was usually another reason for this exceeding our maximum tolerances, this is usually a change somewhere in the system which needs to be manually looked at.

The export is obviously what goes back, so it doesn't stipulate when you receive the 16.5p - You could get that at 10am or 5pm depending on the sun. In terms of max installed, these things are usually with the Ofgem Guidelines.

Have you looked at Ofgem at all?

[Sartori01]

@Lee_EONNext Sorry, I may have muddied the water with my last message. Initially I was checking purely ref the brown energy position - so, as of now brown energy is ok and accepted - I wanted to clarify that if Eon's position on brown energy were to change, that it would be both well telegraphed and prospective rather than retrospective if it were to happen - i.e. that energy previously exported at 16.5p wouldn't suddenly come under retrospective review. This may obviously be the case, but I wouldn't want to put myself in a position where I could get a nasty surprise down the line.

Beyond that I was asking about the max installed capacity of 15KW of solar - I was discussing all things energy with an old friend and the 15KW solar limit had come up. Wondered what that limit was there for - when I have read through Ofgem bits and pieces I think their limits come in much higher - I think it was about 5MW which obviously would be way beyond the scope of a residential install.

[Lee_EONNext]

@Sartori01 That would be really difficult for me to say if I'm honest, All I can tell you is the facts of the scheme etc, and that before we didn't pay it and then we did. The stance is we're paying it for the moment.

If and when there are changes, our customers will be advised accordingly. The Ofgem Guidance will be for FIT/SEG not about the EV Tariff etc, there will be guidance about the EV tariffs on there however potentially not in the solar section.

My own personal point on the 15kw max installed in terms of the EV side of things - Would you need more than that? With the charges being max 7.4kw in most cases, anything over 15kw would/could prove redundant? Just my own personal view here.

I will try to get you an official answer, I am off for a few days so please give me a week or so.

Thanks

[Sartori01]

No worries - I understand it is difficult to make any real pronouncements on what changes may come down the line from Eon - having the potential for a retrospective change landing on an end user is probably too big of a risk to take I suspect. It is conceivable that a person could export an amount of energy equating to over £1000 annually (split between green and brown electricity), to have that retrospectively apportioned and claimed back by a change in energy company policy would be a big stress hanging over the whole process.

Ref the 15KW TIC limit, I agree nobody "needs" more than 15KW, but I know of a few people who have more solar panels installed than that - usually because they have big energy requirements - EVs (though these might not be too relevant to solar), electric showers, maybe even the occasional hot tub etc, and beyond that I'm sure there are some that just get as much solar as they can to increase export potential, and then there are some who just want to be as green as possible and maximise their solar just for the eco credentials. I personally am way under the 15KW TIC limit, but having discussed with others I know some people who would like to use the next drive tariff but can't do so because of the limit, so I was curious if there was any overarching logic behind the limit that you knew of.

As mentioned above, EVs and solar are an interesting one - when my family were deciding to make the switch to EV, we decided to fully commit - getting solar, batteries and an EV all at the same time seemed to be the way to do it. However, we soon realised that solar / batteries were fairly irrelevant to the EV proposition, because using solar energy to charge an EV almost never makes sense - vehicles are generally most active when the sun is up, and each KWH of energy in the day can be exported for about twice as much as you can import energy in the night, when it is easier to have a stationary vehicle and schedule regular charging. Other than people with solar on the FIT scheme, I don't think I know of anyone who uses solar to charge an EV.

[NortonCC]

@Lee_EONNext
A little along the lines of @Sartori01 post.

Hello to all,

Pleased to be here.

Can anyone shed a little light on a possible wrinkle to joining E.on Next Smart Export Guarantee?

I have been looking at the E.on Next details for 'Next Export Exclusive' Smart Export Guarantee.

One criteria is "Customers whose electricity is supplied by E.ON Next and who have a total installed capacity of up to 15kW.". Does this relate to potential real world capacity or what the panels theoretically could produce according to the panels manufacture's stamp?

We do have energy supplied by E.on Next, BUT our array has a theoretical capacity of 17.1 kW. Does this mean we would likely be told to go onto the 'Next Export' at 3 pence per kWh instead of 16.5 pence per kWh?

However, as we know the Sun isn't in geostationary orbit, parked above our panels and will not produce 17.1 kW. The most I have seen it getup to 14.9 kW in May 2021, the next highest 14.7 kW July 2023.

With the panels getting older, the actual capacity total will be declining a little but each year.

It just seems a little mean to drop 13.5 pence per kWh for a technicality ;)

Many thanks,