In countries like Germany, balcony-mounted solar panels are all the rage. But from breaker-masking to voltage mismatches, America’s grid isn’t ready for it—yet.
  • eleitl@lemm.ee
    3·
    21 days ago

    They inject power into your local single phase circuit, with surplus escaping into the grid. Where it gets no farther than to the next consumer. There are kits with few kWh buffer battery which can aim for zero feed in if you’re not feeling altruistic.

    • HubertManne@piefed.socialEnglish
      2·
      21 days ago

      I thought you could not send power into the grid without a setup to shutdown in case someone is working on the grid or something like that.

      • eleitl@lemm.ee
        4·
        21 days ago

        The solar inverter shuts down in milliseconds if it detects that mains power is gone. The reason for it is the one you cited.

        This behaviour can be changed with a different firmware.

        • HubertManne@piefed.socialEnglish
          2·
          21 days ago

          ooh nice. you know I have seen many articles on there and they talk about just needing any old plug but I just could not see it. Sounds like it is a real possibility.

    • HaraldvonBlauzahn@feddit.org
      2·
      20 days ago

      In Germany, which has very strict regulations, there was some discussion and now small balcony solar systems can feed back into the grid, turning the meter backwards. One has to register it and in theory the utility company will install a smart meter, but often, the latter does not happen (and the former is rarely controlled). (And for safety, the panels and inverters will switch off if the grid is down.)

      • eleitl@lemm.ee
        2·
        20 days ago

        Most but the oldest mechanical meters cannot run backwards. Whatever you don’t consume is gifted to the grid.