EAC produces misleading figures to back up curtailments

[Expresspete]

So it’s March 17 and so far I’ve had my production cut 7 times with an average of 4.5 hours per session…..

Within what time frame was this? One month? One year?

7 times this (March) month

[cyprusmax47]

Well, Tim Kremer has a bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering from the University of Sydney, that's good for him. However, here in Cyprus the situation one cannot compare with other countries in Europe.

1.) The far biggest problem is that EAC still uses legacy technology by running their old diesel generators at Dhekelia which cannot be regulated when necessary. (they need many hours to come to full capacity, but also hours to reduce power output in case of plenty renewable energies like solar & wind at the same moment are available.) So at lunchtimes when the grid is already on its limits through PV +wind power, the generators electricity is unwanted and leads to frequency ups and downs and higher voltage (>255) This in return your inverter settings does not allow that high voltage, hence it switches itself off and on...

2.) To install home battery storage is still way to expensive for households at a size of >10 kW and with an medium sized PV system on the roof they will be already fully charged at 11 AM at times when PV production in summer is the highest, so no load relief for the grid.

3.) Only with so called "smart meter", installed at every household or company, EAC (or better the grid operator TSO) will be able to control the grid for operation at full capacity and eventually use ripple control as a last resort and shut inverters down.
So far Cyprus is at the beginning of installing them this month and it will take years until this project will be finished.

4.) We are lucky here in Cyprus to have the so called "net-metering system which allows to get credit on your electricity meter when you produce more electricity through your own PV system than you use at your household and hence export it to the grid.
So you cannot have a better solution, (like the mentioned time-of-use pricing) than that.

Max

[mark4007]

Well, Tim Kremer has a bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering from the University of Sydney, that's good for him. However, here in Cyprus the situation one cannot compare with other countries in Europe.

1.) The far biggest problem is that EAC still uses legacy technology (biggest problem is lack of energy storage facilities - have some big battery parks similar to what Adelaide did ) by running their old diesel generators at Dhekelia which cannot be regulated when necessary. (they need many hours to come to full capacity, but also hours to reduce power output in case of plenty renewable energies like solar & wind at the same moment are available.) So at lunchtimes when the grid is already on its limits through PV +wind power, the generators electricity is unwanted and leads to frequency ups and downs and higher voltage (>255) This in return your inverter settings does not allow that high voltage, hence it switches itself off and on... (my inverter never switched off due to grid voltage fluctuations)

2.) To install home battery storage is still way to expensive (Ageed - but only because net metering arrangement is too good to be true) for households at a size of >10 kW and with an medium sized PV system on the roof they will be already fully charged at 11 AM at times when PV production in summer ( most cutailment is not in the summer - it is sping / autumn and/or bank holidays / Weekends) is the highest, so no load relief for the grid.

3.) Only with so called "smart meter", installed at every household or company (every?) , EAC (or better the grid operator TSO) will be able to control the grid for operation at full capacity and eventually use ripple control as a last resort and shut inverters down (smart meters dont turn off inverters).
So far Cyprus is at the beginning of installing them this month and it will take years until this project will be finished. (smart meters will do nothing to change this problem - they are just a really expensive way to read an electric meter UNLESS dynamic pricing is introduced. And you dont need everyone to be on dynamic pricing to make a difference - just large consumers say everyone on a 3 phase supply or better)

4.) We are lucky here in Cyprus to have the so called "net-metering system which allows to get credit on your electricity meter when you produce more electricity through your own PV system than you use at your household and hence export it to the grid.
So you cannot have a better solution, (like the mentioned time-of-use pricing) than that. (only thise on a net metering arrangement is lucky. Everyone else pays for it. A 15 year contract where someone (the EAC) agrees to give you electricity for free (when it costs them lots to produce in exchange for you giving it electricty at a time when it cant use it ... is only lucky unitl its a financial disaster. It is time to stop future net metering arrangements)

Max

my comments in bold above

[jeba]

I'm wondering why the cost of batteries is so much higher in Cyprus than in e. g. Germany. We're talking about a factor of 2-3. Is there anything stopping you from importing them?

[WHL]

I'm wondering why the cost of batteries is so much higher in Cyprus than in e. g. Germany. We're talking about a factor of 2-3. Is there anything stopping you from importing them?

I'm guessing both EU countries, there should be no restrictions on importing them.

[Dominic]

Well, Tim Kremer has a bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering from the University of Sydney, that's good for him. However, here in Cyprus the situation one cannot compare with other countries in Europe.

1.) The far biggest problem is that EAC still uses legacy technology (biggest problem is lack of energy storage facilities - have some big battery parks similar to what Adelaide did ) by running their old diesel generators at Dhekelia which cannot be regulated when necessary. (they need many hours to come to full capacity, but also hours to reduce power output in case of plenty renewable energies like solar & wind at the same moment are available.) So at lunchtimes when the grid is already on its limits through PV +wind power, the generators electricity is unwanted and leads to frequency ups and downs and higher voltage (>255) This in return your inverter settings does not allow that high voltage, hence it switches itself off and on... (my inverter never switched off due to grid voltage fluctuations)

2.) To install home battery storage is still way to expensive (Ageed - but only because net metering arrangement is too good to be true) for households at a size of >10 kW and with an medium sized PV system on the roof they will be already fully charged at 11 AM at times when PV production in summer ( most cutailment is not in the summer - it is sping / autumn and/or bank holidays / Weekends) is the highest, so no load relief for the grid.

3.) Only with so called "smart meter", installed at every household or company (every?) , EAC (or better the grid operator TSO) will be able to control the grid for operation at full capacity and eventually use ripple control as a last resort and shut inverters down (smart meters dont turn off inverters).
So far Cyprus is at the beginning of installing them this month and it will take years until this project will be finished. (smart meters will do nothing to change this problem - they are just a really expensive way to read an electric meter UNLESS dynamic pricing is introduced. And you dont need everyone to be on dynamic pricing to make a difference - just large consumers say everyone on a 3 phase supply or better)

4.) We are lucky here in Cyprus to have the so called "net-metering system which allows to get credit on your electricity meter when you produce more electricity through your own PV system than you use at your household and hence export it to the grid.
So you cannot have a better solution, (like the mentioned time-of-use pricing) than that. (only thise on a net metering arrangement is lucky. Everyone else pays for it. A 15 year contract where someone (the EAC) agrees to give you electricity for free (when it costs them lots to produce in exchange for you giving it electricty at a time when it cant use it ... is only lucky unitl its a financial disaster. It is time to stop future net metering arrangements)

Max

my comments in bold above

I can't speak for anybody else, but the difference between bold and regular text isn't that clear. If you want to make it easier for people to read your replies, try a different colour. I have changed the bottom one as an example.

[trevnhil]

I too had difficulty finding the Bold Text

[Paul]

Did an one notice how many spelling mistakes there are in that text.
I worked in the printing trade and that's something you tend to notice!

[cyprusmax47]

Did an one notice how many spelling mistakes there are in that text.
I worked in the printing trade and that's something you tend to notice!

Printing trade (I produced stamps) was also my profession in Germany, before I moved permanently to Cyprus. In my opinion the way to answer my post like this was very confusing.... and in parts also wrong. But I won't led me push into an argument about that as I work since 16 years in the PV business here in Cyprus and know a little bit about things....

Max

[jeba]

I'm wondering why the cost of batteries is so much higher in Cyprus than in e. g. Germany. We're talking about a factor of 2-3. Is there anything stopping you from importing them?

I'm guessing both EU countries, there should be no restrictions on importing them.

There may be no restrictions on importing them, but maybe other hurdles? Like missing certifications, different norms or whatever?

[jeba]

I'm wondering why the cost of batteries is so much higher in Cyprus than in e. g. Germany. We're talking about a factor of 2-3. Is there anything stopping you from importing them?

I'm guessing both EU countries, there should be no restrictions on importing them.

There may be no restrictions on importing them, but maybe other hurdles? Like missing certifications, different norms or whatever?