[smithdom]

I have a three phase supply. The installed meter is an EDMI MK10D three phase meter. The technical factsheet for this meter says it is a smart meter.

I am about to have solar panels installed. I need to be sure that I am only charged for net electricity consumption when I am generating power. I also need to know if E.ON Next can recognise and pay for exported energy. If not, am I free to sign up with a provider for exported energy only, whilst retaining my E.ON Next account?

Will my installed meter allow for the above, and is there a way for me to take advantage of the smart meter functions? I have no monitoring at present other than reading the meter.

Western Power have approved the potential export across all phases.

[theunknowntech]

Heya!

Sounds like you'll want to use the Smart Export Guarantee to take care of this. SEG accounts are separate from supply accounts, so you can sign up with any SEG Licensee of your choice without affecting your electricity supply account. Likewise, you can switch one of them around freely while keeping the other where it is (they're never linked together directly). You don't have to sigh up for SEG with same supplier that supplies your electricity right now if you don't want to.

To me, it seems as if that meter is capable of tracking exports, but if not then an Export Meter can be used instead - this will be identified and handled for you so you don't need to worry there. In-Home Displays can allow for monitoring your usage, but not exports at the moment. I'm still checking a few other details as there's some other stuff I want to research, bear with me!

[DebF_EONNext]

Hey @smithdom,

I realise this is an old thread but how did you get on with this in the end, did you get your solar panels installed?

[smithdom]

I did, and they have been a great success. In the first 12 months of operation I calculate a saving of about £3,250, with about 40% of that coming from not having to buy in electricity, and about 60% from selling excess to the grid. At this rate the installation will have paid for itself in five years.

[DebF_EONNext]

Oh wow that's a fantastic return @smithdom well done!

[seancaddell]

@smithdom Excellent ROI for your installation, I was wondering whether your EDMI MK10 was compatible with export or did you need an export meter?

Many Thanks
Sean

[smithdom]

@seancaddell No, Octopus had to install an EDMI ES-30B. The first engineer they sent hadn't realised we are on a three phase supply and he had to arrange for a more qualified engineer to do it. I had to get the engineer to walk me through the menu options to access day/night import meter readings. I record these and the export reading on the 1st of each month to help me track usage and export.

I have a meter by my inverter that tracks power generation, and another that tracks the consumption of my ground source heat pump. Roughly speaking power generated minus power exported = solar power consumed which I would otherwise have to import. I think that April will be the month where I start to earn more in export than I pay in import. I build up credit over summer to counter a negative balance over winter. I have to have a direct debit so at the moment that is set at £10 a month.

I would like an electric car, but it has to be able to act as my house battery and ideally be able to run the house in the event of a power cut. Under those circumstances the electric car premium is offset by not having to buy a home battery. V2G and V2H are fairly well defined, but it needs more vehicle manufacturers to embrace those standards.