G100 export limiting

There was a discussion about G100 certification for the Multiplus-II on the old community board earlier this year: UK G100 workaround - VictronEnergy
and this from early 2023: G100 testing UK - VictronEnergy

What is the current status on this?

I have a grid-tried 2.65kW inverter and got approval from DNO to add Multiplus-II (4.4 kW) (VICEN/02689/V3/A3 in ENA database), but with the amendment:
“Please note that your generation capacity has been amended as agreed:
Agreed export capacity (including G100 devices): 5.00 kW
G100 export limiting scheme on premises? Yes”

And I’m trying to work out how to comply with this. Can I just rely on the MP-II to DTRT, or do I need extra hardware? (If so what?)

Does anyone know if the MP-II actually meets the G100-2 spec or not? Victron said it meets G100-1, but some people testing seemed to find that it didn’t actually meet disconnection times.
There is currently no G100 cert at https://www.victronenergy.com/technical-support?product_id=389 (only G98-1 and G99-1)

Also what about other hardware such as Multi RS Solar. I couldn’t find any certificates for that on the Victron site.

The disconnect times don’t change from G99 to G100 (G100 is only export limiting), and as the MP is approved and on the ENA register G99, I’d suggest this is a not true. Disconnect times are export limiting are two different things and not related.

Sorry, you are right, I was conflating things.
G99 disconnect on loss of grid is not at issue here - there is a cert for that and I presume it works.
The G100-1 requirements that the old certificate covers are

  1. Failsafe: output power goes to zero in <5s if either the MP-II to controller connection is lost, or the controller to current sensor connection is lost
  2. Excursions must be reduced to agreed power with 3secs (the cert talks about loss of comms or loss of power, but not normal export control - seems to be missing the point slightly). But I presume that control is quite quick?
  3. password protection on export limit setting

This doc gives a good overview of G100-2 changes: ENA EREC G100 Issue 2 Import-Export Limitation | Alternergy

  • more sophisticated state model with a set of failure criteria:
    ‘failed’ state is recorded if:
  1. the CLS exceeds the MIL or MEL thresholds for greater than 60 seconds
  2. the CLS exceeds the MIL or MEL thresholds for more than 15 seconds but less than 60 seconds, three times in a 24 hour period
  3. there are two 15-seconds-or-more consecutive breaches of the MIL or MEL within a 10-minute window

And if there system has more than 3 failed states ever, then it locks itself out until ‘a professional’ is along to reset it/work out why.

Does VenusOS do these checks already or might one have to write node-red rules for it?

I’ve not read the whole G100 spec yet, but it seems like making all that work should not be too difficult, so the system/hardware can be made to comply, certificate or not.

Hi Wookey,

Did you make any progress on this as I am in the same situation, have DNO approval for G99 export, but the MP2 8000 isnt G100/2 compliant, so looking for a solution for this.

Cheers
Kev

I’d be keen to hear any updates on this, too. I have a Multiplus-II 48/5000 and would like to add another, principally, so that I can charge my battery bank more quickly, but it wouldn’t hurt to be able to run it in inverter mode. The capacity of each is 4.4kW, which takes me over the 32A per phase limitation specified under G100. I’ve looked in the forums and seen posts, as far back as February, that suggested that “G100 was 6 weeks away”, but despite looking, I can’t find anything the DNO is likely to accept.

I have spoken to my Victron dealer, and after nudging him several times, this was his last reply
“I have been forwarding these emails to Victron but are not getting anything back, not good I know.
I have sent this one through as flagged so hopefully its picked up.”

I am not sure if this is Victron being incompetent, that they dont have a solution, or just not bothered about finding and implementing a G100 solution, Its all very frustrating as I have spent 8k on my system, and cant yet get DNO approval, even though I have G99 approval for export.

Are there any people on this forum that have any direct contact with Victron, or do any Victron employee’s read this forum and can shed any light on this, what is becoming, a BIG problem … Had I known, I wouldnt have bought Victron.

To be fair to Victron they don’t claim to have G100 compliant devices and your dealer should have known this before they sold it to you.

Why don’t you replace your grid tied inverter with a Victron MPPT which is on the DC side of your MP2 5000?

That way you can’t exceed the 5000W export limit and G100 isn’t relevant.

I have 2 MPPT on the DC side, this has nothing to do with G100 compliance, G100 compliance means there needs to be a G100 scheme in place with certain conditions that will limit the export to what the DNO states, just limiting the export in the settings is not enough, The MP’s were G100 compliance, but then G100/2 came out, and Victron have chosen not to update their compliance list, even though most of the G100/2 requirements are already built in, it wouldnt take victron much to regain compliance

details of G100/2 compliance here https://www.energynetworks.org/publications/ena-erec-g100-issue-2-amendment-2-technical-requirements-customer-export-and-import-limitation-schemes

There are ways to make a G100 compliant with limiting devices, but as yet many of us are unclear of what to use and how to implement it, searching brings up dozens of different suggestions and schemes, but no clarity.

Even if Victron doesnt want their products to be G100 compliant, it would be reasonable, and productive for them to design a scheme that uses the third party limiting devices for us to reference.

Another way is to get the DNO to come witness the system go through G100 tests, but as you can imagine, thats a prohibitively expensive route for home solar systems to take

My response was in reply to the OP who has an existing AC coupled inverter.

He still needs G100/2 compliance, its not just about the export limit, its all the controls and mechanisms to keep to that limit that are explained in the link I provided

If the DNO want a 5kW limit then my suggestion is to re-apply for the G99 with just the MP2 48/5000 and drop the existing solar inverter.

That would bring the total potential export to 4.4kW below the export limitation the DNO have. Hence the device does not need G100.

Or lose the solar inverter and run the MP2 with G98 grid code then it’s connect and notify.

Did you read the document I linked to ?

I did, in particular the section that reads;

image

Seems I didnt read the document, but I am assuming that he wants to keep maximum export, not just enough to comply with the G98 or a “get around” to bring the generation below the agreed limit

But yes, your suggestion would seem to mean his system would not need G100, although I suspect he wants as much generation and export as he can get, Wookey would however have to confirm how he wants his system set up

If the existing solar inverter is on FIT and the OP wants to maintain payments then what I suggest isn’t an option.

A self install MP2 typically won’t get export payment either as it won’t have an MCS certificate. Octopus may pay for export but that application process has no guarantee of success. It also has other hoops to jump through which incur cost.

I am going through the Octopus no MCS route at the moment, well just about to start it i should say, still trying myself to sort out this no G100 with Victron products