Hi - after moving from PE who I think have a great SSEG program, scratching my head with Knysna's system which almost seems to be a disincentive system:

Here are the rules I can find from their web site - from latest Tarrif docs:

"SMALL SCALE EMBEDDED GENERATION (SSEG) SSEG refers in this instance to consumers who wish to fit a Solar generation plant (PV plant) to supplement their energy consumption by harvesting solar energy for their own use. These systems are generally Grid Tied to the municipal network allowing the consumer to draw energy (electricity kWh or Units) from the municipal network when their PV plant does not produce enough energy for their use. In the opposite case where the PV plant is producing more energy than the consumer is using this excess energy is fed back to the municipal network and the consumer receives some credit for this energy they supply to the municipality.

All consumers who wish to have a Grid Tied Solar plant must make application to the municipality via the Electrical Engineering Department, and this must comply with the municipal regulations as published. The applicant will be required to sign a contract with the municipality to ensure all conditins are met.

All installation work is to compy with SANS10142-1 Rev2, and any new regulation that may be published, and a copy of a valid Certificate of Compliance must be issued to the Electrical Engineering Department. The consumer must remain a net consumer of energy in the year as no cash will be paid to the consumer.

The consumer will have to change to a Time of Use (TOU) tariff and will be required to fit a "4-Quadrant" electricity meter with a modum to the municipalities specification for the municipality to read the meter remotely."

So by my calcualtions if you go buy back route you woudl need to produce 25kwh per day excess power just to break even on monthly charges for Grid feed in - thats quite a bit given my ave consumption of about 30kwh per day - ie massive solar array required" - Even for for simple Grid with no grid feed in need to produce 11kwh per day excess.

 

My questions :

a) Does a non Grid tied system - ie totally at all times disconnected from municipal grid still need to be registed  - ie would the SSEG monthly charges still apply?

b) Assuming you go Grid tied - you have to install a TOU meter, but why does it say IBT rates apply - makes no sense TOU tarrifs should apply on any Grid draw down.

c) Cost of the TOU meter?  

d) What options are there for breaker size which determins power charge - I presume either 30 or 60 Amp?

e) Is the diagram below / atatched still off-grid - has no connection between Inverter and Muni supply ...

 

Thanx in advance

Tim

 

 

Edited June 5, 20233 yr by Tim

I absolutely agree that Knysna Municipality has it completely wrong and is in fact "disincentivising" SSEG buy-back from residents.  I live in Knysna and have opted NOT to go for the buy-back option.  By my calculation to just cover the extra cost, I had to generate an additional 28kwh per day... an additional capital investment of circa R120'000. I'm guessing not too many people will be going down that path!  George Municipality has an interesting approach... This is a useful website if you want to see all of the Municipality's approach in the Western Cape. https://www.westerncape.gov.za/static/solar-pv-mapping/ 

I absolutely agree, at first I couldn't understand the municiplaity's thinking behind this, but after the past year where they have shown a complete disregard for the wellbeing of all the residents in Knysna, it now makes sense. They just want to make as much money as possible !!

Against my better judgement, I have just submitted my application to register my system and they have replied with a copy of the contract. There is no way I am signing this contract. My daily charge will increase by 40% and as previously mentioned there is no way I can recoup that cost from supplying back to the Municipality.

The crazy thing is I would have been prepared to let the Municipality have my excess for free if they reduced their daily "availablity " charge .....but instead they try and penalize you for looking after yourself.

It will be interesting to see how this all pans out as i cannot see many people signing the contract.

On 2023/06/05 at 9:19 AM, Tim said:

Hi - after moving from PE who I think have a great SSEG program, scratching my head with Knysna's system which almost seems to be a disincentive system:

Here are the rules I can find from their web site - from latest Tarrif docs:

"SMALL SCALE EMBEDDED GENERATION (SSEG) SSEG refers in this instance to consumers who wish to fit a Solar generation plant (PV plant) to supplement their energy consumption by harvesting solar energy for their own use. These systems are generally Grid Tied to the municipal network allowing the consumer to draw energy (electricity kWh or Units) from the municipal network when their PV plant does not produce enough energy for their use. In the opposite case where the PV plant is producing more energy than the consumer is using this excess energy is fed back to the municipal network and the consumer receives some credit for this energy they supply to the municipality.

All consumers who wish to have a Grid Tied Solar plant must make application to the municipality via the Electrical Engineering Department, and this must comply with the municipal regulations as published. The applicant will be required to sign a contract with the municipality to ensure all conditins are met.

All installation work is to compy with SANS10142-1 Rev2, and any new regulation that may be published, and a copy of a valid Certificate of Compliance must be issued to the Electrical Engineering Department. The consumer must remain a net consumer of energy in the year as no cash will be paid to the consumer.

The consumer will have to change to a Time of Use (TOU) tariff and will be required to fit a "4-Quadrant" electricity meter with a modum to the municipalities specification for the municipality to read the meter remotely."

So by my calcualtions if you go buy back route you woudl need to produce 25kwh per day excess power just to break even on monthly charges for Grid feed in - thats quite a bit given my ave consumption of about 30kwh per day - ie massive solar array required" - Even for for simple Grid with no grid feed in need to produce 11kwh per day excess.

 

My questions :

a) Does a non Grid tied system - ie totally at all times disconnected from municipal grid still need to be registed  - ie would the SSEG monthly charges still apply?

b) Assuming you go Grid tied - you have to install a TOU meter, but why does it say IBT rates apply - makes no sense TOU tarrifs should apply on any Grid draw down.

c) Cost of the TOU meter?  

d) What options are there for breaker size which determins power charge - I presume either 30 or 60 Amp?

e) Is the diagram below / atatched still off-grid - has no connection between Inverter and Muni supply ...

 

Thanx in advance

Tim

 

 

Hi Tim,PE has changed their tariff structure as well .It is now +- in line with Cape Town. I was on a 3 kw inverter with 4.8kw panels and had to up grade to 5kw and 7.2 kw of panels due to winter accounts been a nightmare.I suggest you leave gridtie out of the equation. Solar in the day vattery at night.

Hi. Have just been notified by our councilor that "amnesty to register" pv installations has been extended to Sept 2024 failing which draconian fines apply. If I understand the charges correctly at R11.83 per A and R292 per month this is a 100% increase in my case. Buy back is at 74c (vs min cost at R2.2o) per kWh for which more expensive meters are needed. With only 6 panels for my needs this is a non starter.

Seems like another draconian tax.

Question is do you have to register even if you have no intention of selling into the grid for simple backup system PV panels Inverter Battery.

 

10 minutes ago, Warwick H said:

Question is do you have to register even if you have no intention of selling into the grid for simple backup system PV panels Inverter Battery.

As I understand it, and not just for Knysna, the answer is "yes". The definitions do not vary much. The one given earlier in this thread is a good example
"SMALL SCALE EMBEDDED GENERATION (SSEG) SSEG refers in this instance to consumers who wish to fit a Solar generation plant (PV plant) to supplement their energy consumption by harvesting solar energy for their own use. These systems are generally Grid Tied to the municipal network allowing the consumer to draw energy (electricity kWh or Units) from the municipal network when their PV plant does not produce enough energy for their use."

So, if you are connected to the grid, and have some sort of system that will supplement your grid supply, then it should be registered. Really this means when you put panels up on your roof. At that point you have a second source of power.

I agree, and have agreed many times on this forum, that the tariffs don't make feed in attractive for homeowners.

For businesses maybe, because businesses can write off the whole system and it's running costs.

BTW when I completed the paperwork for registration in Johannesburg, I indicated that I expected to export 0 kWh per month back to the grid. That didn't prompt them to say "oh well then, we need not go any further."

This is the latest update from the municipality, it sounds like they're still busy finalising the tariffs and how this whole process is going to work. I guess we'll have to wait and see, but it sounds to me like just another way to screw us in the end again

 

EXTENSION OF AMNESTY PERIOD FOR REGISTRATION OF EXISTING SMALL-SCALE EMBEDDED GENERATION (SSEG) PV SYSTEM

Knysna Municipality is supporting green energy through allowing solar PV to be connected to the distribution grid. If you have an existing PV system, register it now for a safe electricity grid and if you are considering installing a PV system, apply now for the reasons below: Protect your household from electrical fires and electrical shock, minimize risk to electricity staff working on the network. Severe shocks from illegally connected PV systems, and maintain power quality and load management.
 
The deadline to register the existing PV Systems has been extended
The amnesty period has been extended to those customers with existing PV systems to register their SSEG before 31 September 2024. Customer who wish to install their PV systems do not have to comply with the amnesty period, they can register their SSEG any time.

The implication for non-registered SSEG Customers
The Municipality’s Electricity Supply By-Law and National Regulations state that, “No electrical generation equipment may be connected to the municipal electrical distribution network without the express consent of the Municipality”.  
Failure to obtain this consent after 31 September 2024 constitutes an offence , which could lead to a fine of R10 300.00. Furthermore, the installation may also be in contravention of the Occupational Health and Safety Act (1993), for which punitive sanctions also apply.

Customers found to have illegally connected an SSEG installation to the municipal electrical network (either before or after their electricity meters) shall be instructed to have the installation disconnected from the municipal electrical network. Should the customer fail to have the SSEG disconnected from the municipal electrical network, the municipality shall disconnect the electricity supply to the property.

Systems need to comply with a range of technical criteria to be approved by the municipality. This ensures that safety and power quality problems on the grid are avoided (for example inverters must be certified according to the NRS097-2-1 standard and systems need to comply with NRS097-2-3 criteria). Systems over 350kVA generation capacity may be asked to undertake detailed studies before being further considered by the municipality. 

What is the Solar PV application process and who is eligible to apply?
SSEG application process involves the customer filling out standard application forms which provide the municipality with necessary system information to access the proposal and either grant approval or not. The municipality assesses the proposed system for safety, power quality, general grid impact and other issues before giving the customer the go-ahead or not.

Any customer intending to install a solar PV system which will be connected to the municipal distribution grid (Including via own house/building wiring) is required to go through the application process. The following documents are required in order to obtain the approval to install and connect the PV system into the municipal grid:

1. Basic system design (Single line Diagram) shall comply with IEC 60617
2. Inverter certificate as per NRS097-2-1
3. Supplemental contract
4. Certificate of Compliance (CoC) as per SANS 10142-1 ( Only applicable after the installation)
5. Commissioning report signed by ECSA registered person (Only applicable after the installation).

How to obtain the application form and communications
The Small Scale Embedded Generation (SSEG), please direct your communications to Mr L Williams at [email protected]. This email is intended for matters related to SSEG and will be monitored by the Electrical manager, SSEG Project Leader, and Administrative teams to ensure prompt and effective responses.

Alternatively, SSEG application forms can be obtained from the municipal website: https://www.knysna.gov.za/live-here/electricity/renewable-energy-sseg/ or email to Mr L Williams requesting the application form.

The electrical department also offers the chance for individualized interaction with interested customers or service providers every Friday from 12:30 to 13:30. It is advised that interested stakeholders schedule an appointment at least two days in advance by contacting [email protected] and providing all necessary agenda items to ensure thorough preparation.

How much does it cost to register the PV System
The submission of the SSEG application to the municipality is free of charge

What are the application requirements for closed estate with Medium Voltage (11kV) bulk electricity supply from the municipality?
It is imperative that all the customers who wish to install or have installed the PV system to obtain the consent of the installation from the municipality. This can be done through the following application processes. The SSEG application processes are different for the closed estates, the residents who do not have the municipal electricity pre-paid or post-payment meters can apply to their respective body corporates or homeowner associations. The body corporates will then provide the following information to the municipality:

1. Total number of existing PV systems 
2. Total installed Capacity in kVA.

What tariff can a SSEG customer expect and why is it designed in this way?
All SSEG tariffs should have a fixed (R/month) and energy (c/kWh) component, as well as a reverse feed-in tariff (in c/kWh) for power exported back to the municipal grid. This is called a “three part tariff”

Existing non-SSEG residential tariffs which only have an energy component are not suitable for SSEG customers as they are likely to result in revenue loss for the municipality and therefore should be changed to include both a fixed and energy component.

The Electrical department is in the process of finalizing the SSEG tariff and will be fully
- implemented from 1 July 2024.
SSEG sign-off requirements

In terms of specifics, the following will apply with respect to the professional sign-off:
1. Design/test/commissioning/professional sign-off of SSEG installations up to and including 30kW – ECSA registered, Pr Techni Eng, Pr Cert Eng, Pr Tech Eng, Pr Eng Eng (or ECSA recognised equivalent).
2. Design/test/commissioning/professional sign-off of SSEG installations greater than 30kW up to 200kW- ECSA registered, Pr Cert Eng, Pr Tech Eng, Pr Eng, (or ECSA recognised equivalent).
3. Design/test/commissioning/professional sign-off of SSEG installations greater than 200kW ECSA registered Pr Tech Eng, Pr Eng, (or ECSA recognised equivalent).

#inclusive #innovative #inspired

So the crux of the matter is this:

"The Municipality’s Electricity Supply By-Law and National Regulations state that, “No electrical generation equipment may be connected to the municipal electrical distribution network without the express consent of the Municipality”.  

Also note Knysna Municpality does recognise and allow off grid systems with no tarrif increase / addtional charges

So by the defination above, the strictest interpretation would be "there must be no physical conneciton between the Inverter and the Munipal Grid unless concent obtained." 

Okay fine - how about this then - insert a change over switch between house and the munipal supply and inverter - see diagram below. At no time is there a conenction between the inverter and the grid. Inverter cannot charge from the grid either.  Controll the changeover switch with some home automation (eg no loadsheding allow SOC to drop to 10% before change over - with loadshedding keep a larger buffer - say 40% SOC - all depends on Battery capacity.

Register system as off grid - happy days.

 

3 hours ago, Tim said:

So the crux of the matter is this:

"The Municipality’s Electricity Supply By-Law and National Regulations state that, “No electrical generation equipment may be connected to the municipal electrical distribution network without the express consent of the Municipality”.  

Also note Knysna Municpality does recognise and allow off grid systems with no tarrif increase / addtional charges

So by the defination above, the strictest interpretation would be "there must be no physical conneciton between the Inverter and the Munipal Grid unless concent obtained." 

Okay fine - how about this then - insert a change over switch between house and the munipal supply and inverter - see diagram below. At no time is there a conenction between the inverter and the grid. Inverter cannot charge from the grid either.  Controll the changeover switch with some home automation (eg no loadsheding allow SOC to drop to 10% before change over - with loadshedding keep a larger buffer - say 40% SOC - all depends on Battery capacity.

Register system as off grid - happy days.

 

That is the correct interpretation of SANS 10142, and how it should be done anywhere in the country for a valid CoC to be issued. Just make sure your fast changeover is also compliant - I'm not aware of one that is compliant and cost effective. (They cost more than the difference between a NRS097 certified inverter and an "off-grid" inverter.)

SSEG rules seem to be a disincentive for domestic users (except for our friend in Cape Town). It may be different for businesses. 

In Johannesburg I am currently averaging about 1.8 units a day. Over the life of the system I am doing 2.4 per day. So say I use 72 units a month. I can't sell back more than that because of the net consumer rule. 

Add to that the cost of the two way meter (nb. This cost is not born by the City) and theyd want me to switch to TOU tariffs with a grand a month in fixed fees. 

There's no way I can't lose on this deal. I have had my system registered with the City, and as part of that I indicated that I would not feed back in..

So far I have retained my pre paid meter. If I do feed back with that meter then it is not bidirectional and reduces my credits  by the amount fed back. So why would I? 

Bottom line: every solar installation reduces the demand that Eskom have to service. That's a good thing. And you will reduce your bill. That's a good thing. You will get through load sheds. That's three good things now. 

Just don't feed back. Especially don't just sommer feed back and hope the City won't notice (they will) or that your meter will run backwards (it likely won't).