{"id":47836,"date":"2021-03-01T13:18:33","date_gmt":"2021-03-01T02:48:33","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.solarquotes.com.au\/blog\/?p=47836"},"modified":"2024-10-01T13:15:13","modified_gmt":"2024-10-01T03:45:13","slug":"solar-install-endeavour-energy","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.solarquotes.com.au\/blog\/solar-install-endeavour-energy\/","title":{"rendered":"How Much Solar Can You Install In The Endeavour Energy Network Area?"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"Installing

If you want to find out how much solar power capacity Endeavour Energy will let you install, don’t go to their website. It’s hopeless. Their phone support, however, is excellent.<\/p><\/div>\r\n

Update July 1st 2021: <\/strong><\/em>After a commenter kindly informed me Endeavour does not require export limiting on properties with 3 phase power I wrote to Origin to clarify this and they confirmed in (email) writing, “That is correct, there is no export limit on 3 phase systems.”\u00a0 While different from information I was given 4 months ago over the phone, I am confident this is correct.<\/em><\/p>\r\n

A few days ago I received an email from a reader saying it appeared NSW’s Endeavour Energy had altered the amount of solar they allow to be connected to the grid.\u00a0 Because this was relevant to my interests, I immediately went to the Endeavour Energy site to see what size solar systems could be installed.\u00a0 Unfortunately, I immediately became confused. <\/p>\r\n

The Endeavour Energy Area<\/h2>\r\n

Endeavour Energy<\/a> is a Distributed Network Service Provider or DNSP in New South Wales.\u00a0 They’re in charge of distributing electricity from long-distance transmission lines, local rooftops and batteries to homes and businesses.\u00a0 They cover western Sydney as well as a large area out to the Blue Mountains and down past Wollongong<\/a> all the way to Durras North:<\/a><\/p>\r\n

 <\/p>\r\n

\"NSW<\/p>\r\n

If you’re not in this area, this article probably isn’t of interest to you.\u00a0 If you do live here but aren’t interested in my blather and just want to know how much solar you can install on your roof, skip down to the heading, “How Much Solar Endeavour Allows”.<\/p>\r\n

Endeavour’s Unclear Internet Info<\/h2>\r\n

On the Endeavour Energy page with the all caps title, “INSTALLING A NEW SOLAR GENERATOR<\/a>”\u00a0 there are two sentences on how much solar properties can install.\u00a0 They are…<\/p>\r\n

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“If you are connecting a new solar micro generation system or upgrading an existing system with a total inverter capacity no greater than 10kW single phase (230v) or 30kW three phase (400v)”<\/p>\r\n<\/blockquote>\r\n

And…<\/p>\r\n

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“We allow connection of up to 14 kW total panels to a 10 kW inverter or up to 40 kW total panels to a 30 kW inverter.”<\/p>\r\n<\/blockquote>\r\n

Here’s a screenshot of the section:<\/p>\r\n

\"Endeavour<\/p>\r\n

That’s the sort of thing I might expect to see at the start of an explanatory section that clearly outlines how this applies to households in terms the average Australian can understand, but there was nothing else on the page explaining what it means.\u00a0<\/p>\r\n

I checked if there were links to further details but found nothing useful.\u00a0 If you try to use their online service you have to apply for a connection, which is not what people who are only looking for information want to do.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\r\n

I can try to guess what Endeavour Energy allows thanks to my many years of experience at guessing, but it will only be a guess and the average person who just wants to know what size solar system they can install is likely to be completely lost.\u00a0 I think any mildly optimistic person who read the limited information Endeavour provides could easily conclude there’s no problem installing a large 14 or 40 kilowatt rooftop solar power system and exporting all the excess solar energy it generates to the grid.\u00a0<\/p>\r\n

I’m mildly optimistic myself, but I do have a small particle of experience rattling around inside my head and it told me the optimistic interpretation probably wasn’t correct.\u00a0 \u00a0<\/p>\r\n

With a sinking heart, I realized the only way I would know for sure what they permit would be to call Endeavour Energy.\u00a0 I’m not too proud to admit this realization caused me to break down and cry.\u00a0 Fortunately, I’m tough and it only took two days to pull myself together and actually make the call.\u00a0<\/p>\r\n

Preparing For The Worst<\/h2>\r\n

To prepare to call Endeavour Energy, the first thing I did was write down all the questions I wanted to ask.\u00a0 This is vital because past experience with electricity retailers and DNSPs had taught me they can put you on hold for so long you can forget why you called them.\u00a0<\/p>\r\n

I also decided I probably wasn’t going to get through this without taking drugs, so I went to the supermarket and bought a big bottle of Pepsi Max1<\/a><\/sup> so I’d have plenty of caffeine to keep me awake while waiting on hold.\u00a0<\/p>\r\n

I then ate a big lunch to keep on hold hunger at bay, set my mobile phone to speaker mode, and dialled Endeavour.\u00a0<\/p>\r\n

Endeavour Tries To Assassinate Me With Good Service<\/h2>\r\n

A computer immediately answered the phone and asked me to describe in a few words what I wanted.\u00a0 In a panic I barked, “Home! Solar! Capacity!” and the computer said it could help me.\u00a0<\/p>\r\n

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If you remember the Alpha Complex computer from when you were a kid, congratulations. You’re one of the few survivors.<\/p><\/div>\r\n

I was concerned it would help me by sending people in white coats to come and take me away or perhaps use me as reactor shielding.\u00a0 But, instead, after making the phone ring two times, a human being answered and I was able to — more or less calmly — tell her what I wanted.\u00a0 This was despite being shocked by how rapidly she had answered.\u00a0<\/p>\r\n

She told me I would be transferred to someone who could help and I thought this would be how they would get me.\u00a0 I’d be on hold waiting for the relevant person for hours or, alternatively, end up being sent back to the first person I spoke to.\u00a0 Instead, the phone rang twice again and was answered by someone who answered all my questions.\u00a0<\/p>\r\n

I’m not saying the shock nearly killed me — as previously mentioned I’m so tough the need to call Endeavour Energy only made me break down and cry for two days — but I will say I was flabbergasted by the surprisingly good service.\u00a0<\/p>\r\n

So 10 out of 10 to Endeavour for great phone service.\u00a0 Negative several million for not putting clear information on the internet so people won’t have to call in the first place. \u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\r\n

How Much Solar Endeavour Allows<\/h2>\r\n

After speaking with the Endeavour Energy representative I learned they’ll allow the following with regard to rooftop solar capacity:<\/p>\r\n

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  1. A maximum of 10 kilowatts of solar inverter capacity per phase. <\/strong><\/li>\r\n
  2. A maximum of 5 kilowatts of solar export capacity per phase. <\/strong>Update July 1st 2021<\/em>:<\/em><\/strong> Endeavour have told me they do not require export limiting for properties with 3 phase power.<\/em>
    <\/strong><\/li>\r\n
  3. Single-phase properties can have a maximum of 14 kilowatts of solar panels while 3 phase properties can have a maximum of 40 kilowatts of panels.<\/strong><\/li>\r\n
  4. AC coupled batteries with battery inverters, such as the Tesla Powerwall, don’t contribute to the inverter limit.<\/strong><\/li>\r\n<\/ol>\r\n

    I’ve outlined exactly what this means for homes with single-phase power and three-phase power below:<\/p>\r\n

    I Have A Single Phase Property<\/h2>\r\n

    If your property has single-phase power, as most homes do, then for a normal solar installation…<\/p>\r\n