Measuring export question

[saint]

I have been trying to get my head around a question from a client who wants to be able to continue charging his tenants electricity at the import rate when they are using the generated electricity from the PV.

If a meter is fitted between the CU and import meter will this measure the exported electricity? If so, he will have recorded the amount imported, the amount exported and the amount generated.

 

[Worcester]

Where's the Inverter connected to? Just think of it as water..

It all depends upon how the whole building is wired and metered.

You'll need to attach the inverter by a separate CU connected BEFORE the meter to the tenants CU.

 

[TedM]

Need to check with OFGEM. I'm pretty sure there are regulations that prevent landlords from charging more for electricity than they are paying.

 

[TedM]

Need to check with OFGEM. I'm pretty sure there are regulations that prevent landlords from charging more for electricity than they are paying.

[edit]
See http://www.ofgem.gov.uk/Media/PressRel/Archive/900-r0902_30jan.pdf and
http://www.ofgem.gov.uk/consumers/documents1/1970-mrp.pdf

 

[Worcester]

@TedM, Those obviuosly weren't written with micro-generation in mind!

 

[Graeme Harrold]

Definately a grey area and not taking renewables into account. You could argue that its p/kWh the supplier is charging is charged on and the savings made by adding for example solar PV is an investment into the business. At the very least the landlord could drop the price per unit by a few pence a a gesture of good will and argue he is spreading the savings over the building and not just subsidising the users who are in all day.

As long as the tenants meters are down stream from the gen and import meter, they will still read the actual usage by each tennant. The difference will come through the import meter, with the landlord hopefully having a much lower bill.

Im sure the 1st court case will resolve it!!!

 

[TedM]

Oh, definitely not. I'll prod OFGEM on the issue.

 

[Graeme Harrold]

Think the cost needs to be clarified. The landlord should only charge on the per unit cost used by the tennant and then at their descression pass on savings made by installing SSEG.......

 

[BruceB]

I did not spot any reference to source legislation about prices in the ofgem links. Anyone know?

 

[TedM]

The Utilities Act 2000 from memory - but I will have to check.

[edit] Yes - but the web copy of it is a dogs dinner - http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2000/27 section 73.

This http://www.ofgem.gov.uk/Consumers/Documents1/2278-41_maxresale.pdf provides a better explanation - especially Appendix 1.

 

[BruceB]

Interetsing. I think my starting point is that ofgem should clear out and people should be able to buy and sell as they please, but I suppose some consumer protection has to be in place against unscrupulous landlords.

The term 'authorised supplier' crops up. I note:

In this direction, “authorised supplier” means a person who is authorised by
licence or exemption to supply gas or electricity.

In connection with owning a PV generator and its output being used by your tenants then:
- if you are an authorised supplier (I do not know) then you could charge what the pv electricity cost to generate/supply, which depending on how you do the accounting could be a lot;
- if you are not an authorised supplier then you can charge what you like anyway.
Messy.

Regards
Bruce

 

[TedM]

Agreed, I'm reading it much the same way.

In practical terms I think it is going to come down to the specific arrangement of the metering and whether the landlord is considered to be 'exporting' before the tenant 'imports'.

If there is more than 1 tenant then the landlord is not going to know how to equitably apportion the PV used between them.

Then there is the question of 50% deemed export if no export meter is fitted. And what happens in 10 years time when the landlord is benefiting from 'free' electricity from the (now paid for) PV?