Registering for ROCs

[CeeBee]

Lets hope we get paid for them !

i am having a little spat with southern as so far i have not recievied any payment for what i have produced, i have  been paid for what i have exported.

here's what they said:

The ROC payment is made once a year, normally in July/August each year after Ofgem have issued the ROCs.  We will write to you in March 2010 asking for your total generation reading, which will then be submitted to Ofgem.  The payment for your generation will be 9.2p/kWh from accreditation date up to 31/03/10.

so i am going to wait nearly 2 years from installation for any payments for total production ( i think i will need to read my contract !!!)

At risk of going off-topic: so I guess you're on the Southern Electric (SSE) scheme where they pay you 'a bit' for export, and the value of the ROCs for generation (better if you don't export much), whereas I'm on the one where they pay 28p/kWh for export, and nothing at all for generation (they take the ROCs for themself). I've not seen the contract for the former, but they only seem to be deferring any payment to you until they themselves manage to extract the ROCs from OFGEM.

[wookey]

One thing I haven't quite understood is how the meter for this works. You normally have an export meter fitted with a PV system, and your house already has an import meter, but where do the total generation numbers come from ? Do you just use the inverter readings - is the utility happy to trust those for paying you with? This is important for FITs too where you get paid for both export and generation.

[sjaglin]

Hi,

I am with npower, request for the ROCs in December 2008, letter the 15th of July 2009 but back dated... So a good 9 months

Stef

[Ted]

One thing I haven't quite understood is how the meter for this works. You normally have an export meter fitted with a PV system, and your house already has an import meter, but where do the total generation numbers come from ? Do you just use the inverter readings - is the utility happy to trust those for paying you with? This is important for FITs too where you get paid for both export and generation.

You have to install an OFGEM 'approved' total generation meter from the Schedule 4 list - second hand ones are available for about £10. This is in addition to any import/export metering that you have. You then supply readings from this to your ROC agent usually twice a year.

There is supposedly a system of random checks in place to verify the readings supplied though I've never heard of this actually happening to anyone.

[Justme]

If you have a battery type system there seems to be no way to claim any thing as all readings must be in AC.

[Ted]

This was one of my comments to the FITs consultation. Off-gridders need to be treated just the same as the grid-connected.

The approved list of meters ought to include something for sub 230V systems.

[Justme]

On my set up I can read the dc kwh on the FM80 (but only for 180 days or a power disconnection) & I can read my total consumption in AC but that includes power provided directly from the genny & power provided indirectly from the genny by charging the bank (also a small amount of power from the wind turbine). I can also read the total power produced from the genny, but I cant take one from the other to get a meaningful reading.

[camillitech]

On my set up I can read the dc kwh on the FM80 (but only for 180 days or a power disconnection) & I can read my total consumption in AC but that includes power provided directly from the genny & power provided indirectly from the genny by charging the bank (also a small amount of power from the wind turbine). I can also read the total power produced from the genny, but I cant take one from the other to get a meaningful reading.

I have a similar problem Justme, though I do have a Kwh meter on my genny output so I can subtract that to give me a  rough idea, trouble is my dumps are AC through the inverter and they are not metered. I suppose I could put three meters on the dumps (or perhaps it's possible to use 1 meter on their common neutral?) but it is getting awfully complicated as I already have 4 meters in my system 

Cheers, Paul

[Justme]

I have a similar problem Justme, though I do have a Kwh meter on my genny output so I can subtract that to give me a  rough idea, trouble is my dumps are AC through the inverter and they are not metered. I suppose I could put three meters on the dumps (or perhaps it's possible to use 1 meter on their common neutral?) but it is getting awfully complicated as I already have 4 meters in my system 

Cheers, Paul

So do I but in my case that still wont work.

a, it will read the power used that does not go through the inverter (power tools & welder in my case)
b, the genny meter will show the power used by the inverter / charger to fill the battery inc losses

So it wont be a case of taking one away from the other.

[camillitech]

I have a similar problem Justme, though I do have a Kwh meter on my genny output so I can subtract that to give me a  rough idea, trouble is my dumps are AC through the inverter and they are not metered. I suppose I could put three meters on the dumps (or perhaps it's possible to use 1 meter on their common neutral?) but it is getting awfully complicated as I already have 4 meters in my system 

Cheers, Paul

So do I but in my case that still wont work.

a, it will read the power used that does not go through the inverter (power tools & welder in my case)
b, the genny meter will show the power used by the inverter / charger to fill the battery inc losses

So it wont be a case of taking one away from the other.

Like I say it is only a rough idea, I too run a welder and diving compressor directly off the genny but for the amount of diving and welding I do it's not really an issue, surely there must be a solution well apart from more PV and ditch the genny 

Cheers, Paul

[petertc]

I have been credited for the roc up to the 31-03-09.
so at least that is the first 7 months since installation

[Justme]

surely there must be a solution

A DC meter?

Or a sep charger, Oh & just remembered I power the genny from the unmetered socket on the genny so most is going through both meters.

Which you were closer, Our local dive shop has closed & we dont have one for 50 miles in any direction. I dont dive but I do use a dive cylinder to fill my PCP rifle. I guess its back to the hand pump (or a mate gets it filled for me but I can only do that when I take a trip to see family back home & thats a 400mile round trip).

Justme

[StBarnabas]

Hi
just to say my Ofgem Accreditation letter came yesterday. 15th Sept (applied) - 10th Feb (granted) so about 5 months

[Moxi]

Blimey,

I'd better start emailing them as I'd like to be accredited so that I transfer automatically into FITs rather than having to mess around reapplying!

My application was only completed a few weeks ago due to repeated problems with their web site! despite going on the grid in October last year. 

Moxi

[ecogeorge]

Whoa 
Panic stations, reading all the FIT  blurb it appears that I have until 31 Mar 2010 to register for ROC in order to claim anything at all after 1st April on my existing 1.1kw pv array that although grid connected is not approved or notified!
PLAN OF ACTION.
1) Tonight applied to register with ofgem  - here -   https://www.renewablesandchp.ofgem.gov.uk/default.aspx
now waiting for password to proceed.
2) Tomorrow start fitting dedicated circuit and mcb for pv connection before I connect  .
STILL TO DO
- tidy wiring,
- decide that i may have to reduce array size as some goes to Mastervolt soladin (G83 approved) but some  grid feeds through individual OK4e inverters (G83 approved - don't think so)  (100w max each). Doubt if they would accept a 1.1 kw array on a 550w soladin ?
- Check that meter is ofgem approved
- Get mate niciec approved electrician to sign off install
- Draw schematic diagram.
- Inform DNO I intend to connect to grid.

Have I missed anything?
No pressure then , -will I do it?