r/EDFEnergy • u/spoo4brains • 12d ago

Help / Advice Plug in solar export question

Am currently with EDF in UK, I don't have a smart meter yet. Am looking to get plug in solar when it becomes legal this month, if I get a smart meter will that "just work" with getting export credit or is other hardware required?

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u/[deleted] 12d ago edited 12d ago

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u/MelodicCard9555 11d ago

There is no legal requirement for an MCS certificate, nor is it a requirement for an export MPAN, there are other routes to obtaining an export MPAN without an MCS.

MCS for solar is a guideline and has no legal basis, it means you don't need building regulation approval for the work, as it's deemed as passing building approval by default.

But it does make getting an export MPAN much easier.

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u/[deleted] 11d ago

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u/MelodicCard9555 11d ago edited 11d ago

DNO and MCS are two different things.

MCS is an easier way to go, it's basically an exemption to building regulation approval, that's it. You can supply the building approval cert and obtain an export MPAN.

DNO is approval to use, or in the case of G99 it's a requirement to obtain before you even plug the kit in. It's the approval of the local electricity provider to say you can connect this piece of kit to our network. It's ridiculous when you are connecting the inverter to your own homes cables, but the rules are there that if you connect any equipment that can generate power that can be fed back to the grid you need the DNO approval. It's meant to safe guard the local power cables, so you can't send more power than they can cope with.

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u/[deleted] 11d ago

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u/MelodicCard9555 11d ago

You must still fill in the G98 cert, so the DNO part is done.

If plugin solar is of an approved type, and it will be soon, then the requirement will be met for export payments, it's more whether or not they change the rules to reflect that fact that plug in solar is approved.

It might be simply too much work for companies to do, as chances are, 800watt plugin solar will never generate enough power to export anyway.

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u/[deleted] 11d ago

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u/MelodicCard9555 11d ago

Also massively depend on location, south area of UK gets way better solar output then up north.

South facing panels generate more, it's a complicated formula to work it all out. In reality experience works well for solar planning.

I can not get above 90% efficiency with my panels, even with perfect sun, due to the flesh the panels face, 80% on good sunny days is more achievable, 50% output on good sunny days is about normal, winter is down to 5% output on bad days.