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Australia struggling with oversupply of solar power (www.abc.net.au)

submitted 1 month ago by [email protected] to c/[email protected]

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[–] [email protected] 2 points 3 weeks ago (1 children)

Can solar panels not be turned off? I see panels that aren't plugged into anything and they don't exactly blow up. Can't they just be turned off when storage reaches a certain capacity?

[–] [email protected] 2 points 3 weeks ago* (last edited 3 weeks ago) (1 children)

Due to the other comment below, i spoke with the guys that run our panels and they answered "well, in theory..."

I'm guessing here, but it might be an issue with the controllers, or that the idea of turning them off is simply inconceivable (why would I turn mine off and let others make money), or something else. But it doesn't seem like standard practice.

[–] threelonmusketeers 1 points 3 weeks ago* (last edited 3 weeks ago)

or that the idea of turning them off is simply inconceivable (why would I turn mine off and let others make money)

If that's the issue, it seems like time-of-use rates or smart metering could be an easy solution. If the price of electricity were negative during periods of oversupply, I bet people would figure out how to disconnect their solar panels pretty quickly. This pricing model would simultaneously incentivize energy storage projects.