Dynamic Exports: The rule change all QLD installers and homeowners must know!

Your Solar Inverter May Be “Compliant” – But the moment you add a Battery - All Bets Are Off!

Queensland’s Dynamic Connections rules look straightforward: "Support for the Generation (G) compliance type is required for Solar PV. Support for both the Load (L) and Generation (G) compliance type is required for Dynamic EVSE and BESS. Any inverters or devices at the site that are not supported by the communication client must be set to non-export and non-import for the site to be compliant.” - Energex

In short “When Batteries are added to a Dynamic site, if they do not comply, they must be set to zero export and import”

Homeowners would be forgiven for thinking that their compliant inverter covers them for the entire site but the moment you install a battery, that all changes. Unless your battery can comply to both dynamic exports and imports, they must be set to zero import and export. That means that if you participate in wholesale energy plans like Amber Electric you can no longer export your battery to the grid during a high feed in tariff – losing thousands in potential savings. Charging your battery for free from the grid when signed up to an EV plan like OVO energy – Gone! Installing a massive battery at your home on an undersized array in the hopes of charging from the grid is a big No, No! 

And the real kicker is, Inverter and Batteries cannot act on these commands natively, so you must use one of the compliant gateway devices listed here 

Why Amber users are told to go dynamic

Amber encourages customers to go with dynamic exports, because it often lets homeowners export more energy across the year. This is great—until a battery enters the picture. If the battery can’t follow both import and export limits, Energex requires it to be locked to 0 kW in / 0 kW out, wiping out any potential savings.

How to stay on the right side of the rules I If you are looking to participate in wholesale energy prices now or in the future, you must ask these questions.

1. Ask for Load + Generation compliance before you sign a battery quote.

2. Use a single gateway that controls all inverters, batteries and EVSE chargers.

3. Plan for the future.

For more information on Energex’s current list of compliant inverters and gateways

Before you upgrade, make sure your whole site, not just the solar inverter can play by Queensland’s dynamic connection rules.