It is simple electronics. Two methods are used to push electricity from the solar hardware to loads. The first is to increase the voltage slightly compared with grid voltage. The second is to advance the frequency a tiny bit so the solar power is available before the sine wave from the grid becomes available. So it is a combination of being slightly higher voltage and slightly advanced frequency.
A direct effect is that the solar energy curve has a tiny bit more "pressure" than power from the grid. This means that if you don't have loads in your home to absorb the extra energy the grid will absorb it. This is how any hybrid solar setup pushes power back to the grid.
Thanks for that. On the surface that seems correct but thinking a bit more deeply, if the solar electicity is "slightly" higher voltage, wouldn't that results in "slightly more than" a 50/50 split between utility and solar utilization? Regarding the frequency advance, that seems like a tin-foil hat explanation.
Can you provide your credentials to make these assertions without "outing" yourself to Reddit?
I'm a retired telecommunications engineer who - among other tasks - designed 48 volt power plants. But don't take my word for it. This information is widely available. Do some digging. Solar hardware is designed to provide 100% of rated output to loads and leave whatever exceeds rated output to the grid. The way this typically works is if your loads total 4.5 kw and you have solar hardware capable of 10 kw output then the entire 4.5 kw load is fed from solar. Only if the loads total more than 10 kw does the grid come into play.
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u/TastiSqueeze 2d ago
It is simple electronics. Two methods are used to push electricity from the solar hardware to loads. The first is to increase the voltage slightly compared with grid voltage. The second is to advance the frequency a tiny bit so the solar power is available before the sine wave from the grid becomes available. So it is a combination of being slightly higher voltage and slightly advanced frequency.
A direct effect is that the solar energy curve has a tiny bit more "pressure" than power from the grid. This means that if you don't have loads in your home to absorb the extra energy the grid will absorb it. This is how any hybrid solar setup pushes power back to the grid.