The SMA Export Limitation System Or: How to Reduce Costs with Commercial PV Plants
You can now install all the PV you need, without extra costs to reinforce the connection to the electricity grid. How? With an SMA Export Limitation System.
Export limitation is controlling the amount of power from a PV installation that is exported to the electricity grid. It is especially useful for companies who have a high power demand during certain times. When the power demand is lower, the system will limit the amount of generated power so it does not flow to the grid.
SMA Export Limitation system
The SMA Export Limitation system is a sophisticated yet simple to implement way of managing the amount of exported power. The system requires the SMA Cluster Controller, the SMA Energy Meter and compatible SMA inverters. The Cluster Controller controls the export power based on data received from the SMA Energy Meter and the inverter(s). When necessary, the Cluster Controller can tell the inverters to limit their production. The system meets all requirements for performance and safety.
The benefits
With the SMA Export Limitation system, owners can reduce electricity costs without extra investments to reinforce the connection to the electricity grid. They can install the full capacity of PV that their location can support, without exceeding the Distribution Network Operator’s (DNO) limitation. The PV installation will never export more than the allowed power onto the grid so there are no extra costs for upgrading the grid infrastructure and the DNO does not have to worry about an extra burden on the grid. The SMA export limitation system has been extensively tested and has proved that it meets all requirements for safety and performance. Besides being technically advanced and reliable, the system is easy to use as well. The installation and set-up are basically plug-and-play.
The first project with SMA Export Limitation System: the Regilbury Dairy Farm near Bristol
First installation a success
In October 2015 the SMA Export Limitation system was put to the test for the first time in the UK. Regilbury Farm, a dairy farm near Bristol, required a PV installation with export limitation. They wanted to place an installation of 50 kWp, while the grid was limited to 11 KVA. As SMA has solutions for both, we were very happy to work together with SolarSense and the DNO for the installation and witness test of the system. Both the end user and the installer were very pleased with the results. So was the DNO, they had extensive demands for export limitation and the SMA system met them all.
Find out more about the SMA Export Limitation system and test case on our website
We are installing an energy meter UNG604-pro on our three phases grid lines to measure the delivered power to SMA data manager for SMA inverter PV energy export limitation configuration. The aim is to have always minimum power provided from the grid and no PV export is allowed from the PV to the grid on any phase.
We want to address the unbalance scenario where the overall power from the grid is positive however we can have negative power on one particular phase ( PV is exporting power to the grid on one phase).
To avoid exporting through one phase, we want to send to the data manager the real time phase1,phase2,phase3 powers and to set the PV power to a value where the power from the least powered grid phase is still above the minimum limit.
The issue is how we configure the data manager to receive (phase1,phase2,phase3) real power and calculate the minimum of (phase1,phase2,phase3) real power to use it instead of the total three phase power from the energy meter to set the PV power below any export limit on any phase?
Could you please assist on this ?
Hello Khemais,
Please get back to our SMA Service for further technical support, thank you.
Sunny regards
Christiane
Did you manage to solve the problem? Please let me know what setting you need to use.
Hello Ruslan,
Please get back to our SMA Service with further technical information.
Sunny regards
Christiane
The link you provided does not have any technical support contacts. registering on the specified portal is NOT possible. Please pass on the technical support email address I provided and ask them to contact me.
Hello Ruslan,
Registration is possible via the button right above on the mentionned website (“Login” top right).
After being registered, you will get in contact with our SMA Service Team.
Sunny regards
Christiane
Dear,
Can I limit AC export of 10xSMA CORE 2 from 10×110 kW to 10×100 kW=1MW.
Thank you very much.
Hello Ivan,
Yes it’s possible: Please log in as “installer” and go to parameters.
There you will the setting “Power Settings’ and then as underpoint ‘Set active power limit’.
You can change there from 110.000 W to 100.000 W.
Sunny regards
Christiane
Hi,
Is there a Zero export solution for SMA SB7.0-1TP-US-41?
Thanks
Hello Josue,
Please contact our SMA Service US for further support.
Sunny regards
Christiane
Dear SMA Team
I have an Sunny Tripower 20000TL 3 Phase inverter and a sunny home manager 2.0. I want to limit the export power either to zero or a predefined value of 10.4kVA. Is this possible without any additional equipment?
Thank you for your time.
Hello Cornelius,
please contact the SMA Service, using our Online Service Center.
For detailed support, please deliver more details on your plant then (serial number etc.).
Thanks!
Sunny regards
Christiane
Dear SMA,
I want to check zero export ability of SMA CORE 2.
The system is 110kW x 9 unit.
Hello Tung Pham,
First of all sorry for the delay in getting back to you.
The “Zero Export”-function can be realized by the SMA Data Manager M (EDMM) which is available for CORE2.
Best regards
Christiane
Hello,
I want to check if we can limit the energy for the SMA STP 50 Core 1 Inverter to Zero exportation mode, where I don’t want to export any extra energy to the utility grid.
in SHP 75 model we need Home manager HM 20 for Zero export or we can do zero export with inverter Manager IM 20
Hello,
Can I connect the SMA energy meter with 22kV system?
If yes, how to connect?
Rgds,
Joe
Hi Joey,
In order to be able to help you, we need the serial numbers or the type designation of the inverters or data loggers installed.
Kind regards, Annika
Dear Anke.
Regarding zero export or limiting the export for an stp 50[core 1) will it be liabel to only use the sma energy meter or should I use the SMA 2.0 home manager with external current transformers 100/5 .I would prefer not to use a cluster controller due to the aditional costs and its only one stp50.
Thank you in andvance
Dear Jaco,
For “Zero Export” it´s necessary to use Sunny Home Manager 2.0. The function to limit the export is neither integrated in the Core1 nor in the Energy Meter. So Sunny Home Manager is the best and cheapest solution. Please note: Cluster Controller is not available anymore, successor is the Data Manager M.
Kind regards,
Anke
Excuse me, How can I order to buy the Zero Export?
Thank you,
Hello Hok,
The “Zero Export” function is implemented via the SMA Sunny Data Manager M (EDMM).
It is both available with the SMA Sunny Tripower CORE1 and the CORE2.
Sunny regards
Christiane
Hello,
Can I achieve zero export using a 10KW system with 2x STP5.03AV-40 and 1x SMA Energy Meter? Or I must use 1 x Home manager if I use more than 1 inverter? Thank you for response,
Hi Dorin,
The performance of the zero-export will be improved by using the Home Manager as a central manager, compared to having two inverters individually balancing using the Energy Meter. For this reason the Home Manager is recommended for your application.
Kind regards,
Anke
hello,
can I use export limitation only with SB1200 and bluetooth module
Hi gentleman,
I have a question regarding Exporting limit provided by the Sunny Home Manager 2.0 working with a SB tripower. How does it work, in conjunction with a tripower, if the 3 phases are not balanced? What I want to know is, does this system setting (SHM+Tripower) works by each phase separately or only by the smaller consumption phase, limiting the other two in the same amount? Does the sunny tripower always output the same power on each phase (if DC power available on the modules) or just the necessary amount per phase regulated by the SHM with zero % export configured? and if not, if is regulated by need, how much % of the total power of the inverter can output on a single phase?
thank you in advance for the response, my PV system that I’m configuring is dependent of this response.
Hello Rodrigo,
In Zero Export mode, the Sunny Home Manager ensures that the PV power currently generated by the inverters always matches the current power consumption of the household.
If an active load/appliance in the household is switched off, the grid feed-in of excess PV power will automatically be reduced to a value less than 2% of nominal PV system power.
For further information, please visit us at http://www.SMA.de or contact directly our Service Line. Our colleagues will be glad to assist further.
Kind regards, Jennifer
Thank you Jennifer for your response. Yes, that I understand. But my question was about that situation when Tripower was used with unbalanced phases. What is the behavior in this situation?
Thank you in advance
Hello Rodrigo,
The Tripower inverter generates power on all 3 phases. The power generation or a possibly consumption is recognized automatically by the internal energy meter and the generated power for example is added together over the 3 phases. However, the Sunny Home Manager 2.0 reduces feed-in of the generated inverter power at the grid-connection point. For the zero-export feature, however, it is not relevant if the phases are unbalanced.
For further questions, please do not hesitate to contact your local installer or the Service Line in charge. Please visit us also at http://www.sma.de/ to find out more.
Kind regards,
Carolin
Hi,
My Meter counts double times if it senses excess energy going out; it’s not a 2-way meter.
So will this SMA Export Limitation System work for me?
I am exactly looking to block this excess energy going through my meter.
Rgds,
Mike
Hi Mike,
thanks for your question. Unfortunately, we can’t help you without having more details. Where are you from? Please contact the Service Line for your Country. They are happy to assist you.
The best thing would be if you use the Energy Meter (if possible).
Regards,
Sarah
Bonjour Madame,
I need exactly this for two STP15000TL.
Where can I have specs and where can I buy that (we are located in Thailand).
Merci pour la reponse
Claude Feller
Hey Claude,
Please contact our Thai subsidiary on http://www.sma-thailand.com/
They will be happy to help you.
Best regards
Leonie
That was really bad to know that the subsidiary in TH was closed down. since then, I use other brand and never get back again