Re: [RE-wrenches] Hawaii Frequency Settings

[Nick Soleil]

Yes Mark,

Enphase sets the alternate grid parameters for HI remotely, and will send a
letter of confirmation directly to the utility on your behalf.  We have
preset grid parameters for HECO and MECO.


On Mon, Feb 4, 2013 at 3:44 PM, Mark Frye  wrote:

> Folks,
>
> ** **
>
> I was told that because the HI grid has poor frequency control, grid-tied
> inverters have to have their low frequency limit set to 57 Hz so they can
> ride out the worst low frequency events.
>
> ** **
>
> I find it hard to believe that this has been done for every single
> inverter installed in HI.
>
> ** **
>
> But, what do I know.
>
> ** **
>
> Can anyone shed some light on this?
>
> ** **
>
> Thanks,
>
> ** **
>
> Mark Frye
>
> Berkeley Solar Electric Systems
>
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-- 

Cordially,

*Nick Soleil*

*Field Applications Engineer
*

*Enphase Energy*

Mobile: (707) 321-2937


**

*Enphase Commercial Solar.*
*Limitless.*

*
*

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Petaluma, CA 94954

www.enphase.com 

P: (707) 763-4784 x7267

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[RE-wrenches] Hawaii Frequency Settings

[Marco Mangelsdorf]

Take it from someone in the trenches out here in the Aloha Stateyes, we
have to jump through these hoops.  The utilities here-HECO, MECO, HELCO and
KIUC-vary as far as what they require regarding verification and
documentation.  It's been my experience that HECO and MECO are more lax
whereas HELCO (even though these three are all owned by the same parent
company...Hawaiian Electric Industries) is more stringent.

 

The required frequency set points and trip delays can be found in the
December 2011 HECO Rule 14 paragraph h.  I can provide the document to those
who are interested.

 

marco

 

Folks,

 

I was told that because the HI grid has poor frequency control, grid-tied
inverters have to have their low frequency limit set to 57 Hz so they can
ride out the worst low frequency events.

 

I find it hard to believe that this has been done for every single inverter
installed in HI.

 

But, what do I know.

 

Can anyone shed some light on this?

 

Thanks,

 

Mark Frye

Berkeley Solar Electric Systems

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Re: [RE-wrenches] Hawaii Frequency Settings

[John Berdner]

Mark:

Yes, Hawaii requires custom settings and they require the installer to certify 
the inverter has been programmed to those settings.
We have a menu choice for Hawaii in our setup menus.
If you have older product we can update them remotely once connected to the 
internet.

Best Regards,

John Berdner
General Manager, North America

[cid:image001.jpg@01CE0302.850C5940]

SolarEdge Technologies, Inc.
3347 Gateway Boulevard, Fremont CA 94538 USA  (*Please note of our new address.)
T: 510.498.3200, X 747
M: 530.277.4894

From: re-wrenches-boun...@lists.re-wrenches.org 
[mailto:re-wrenches-boun...@lists.re-wrenches.org] On Behalf Of Mark Frye
Sent: Monday, February 04, 2013 3:44 PM
To: re-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org
Subject: [RE-wrenches] Hawaii Frequency Settings

Folks,

I was told that because the HI grid has poor frequency control, grid-tied 
inverters have to have their low frequency limit set to 57 Hz so they can ride 
out the worst low frequency events.

I find it hard to believe that this has been done for every single inverter 
installed in HI.

But, what do I know.

Can anyone shed some light on this?

Thanks,

Mark Frye
Berkeley Solar Electric Systems
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Re: [RE-wrenches] Hawaii Frequency Settings

[Dave Click]

That's correct, it's a 57.0 - 60.5 Hz operating window.

http://www.heco.com/portal/site/heco/menuitem.508576f78baa14340b4c0610c510b1ca/?vgnextoid=12a290a2decab110VgnVCM105c011bacRCRD&cpsextcurrchannel=1#bk6

According to that website, the requirement only applied to systems 
interconnected after 2011/12/23 (maybe someone was trying to be poetic 
by having this change take effect at the winter solstice) so this would 
only be encouraged for legacy systems. I'll leave it to a HI-based 
installer to comment on how easy it is to actually upgrade inverters to 
this wider window. I'd guess you have to order directly from the 
inverter manufacturer to get these settings pre-configured.


When the grid has excess loads and not enough generation, the frequency 
drops. Similarly, excess generation causes the frequency to increase. By 
opening the inverter window on the low end, this keeps all that PV 
generation online when the grid needs as much power as it can summon. 
The inverter window remains a maximum of 60.5Hz since the utility can 
just dial back their own generation-- excess generation is much easier 
to solve than excess load.


In the continental US, grid operators can usually rely on nearby 
resources (natural gas-powered peaker plants, for example) to help 
provide additional power when it's needed in an area. This makes 
frequency problems pretty rare for us. Unfortunately for Hawaii, the 
nearest backup generator is a few thousand miles away. Puerto Rico has 
similar requirements for the same reasons. I believe that next week the 
IEEE 1547 committee will finalize what exactly these windows will be in 
the new edition.


Dave

On 2013/2/4 18:44, Mark Frye wrote:

Folks,

I was told that because the HI grid has poor frequency control,
grid-tied inverters have to have their low frequency limit set to 57 Hz
so they can ride out the worst low frequency events.

I find it hard to believe that this has been done for every single
inverter installed in HI.

But, what do I know.

Can anyone shed some light on this?

Thanks,

Mark Frye

Berkeley Solar Electric Systems



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Re: [RE-wrenches] Hawaii Frequency Settings

[Brian Mehalic]

We had the same request in NC by Duke Energy. The inverter mfg. says they can 
do it but it'd be outside of the values on the label that the inverter is 
listed to. I don't think Duke cares, but the AHJ may. 

Brian

Typos courtesy of my iPhone. 

On Feb 4, 2013, at 6:44 PM, "Mark Frye"  wrote:

> Folks,
>  
> I was told that because the HI grid has poor frequency control, grid-tied 
> inverters have to have their low frequency limit set to 57 Hz so they can 
> ride out the worst low frequency events.
>  
> I find it hard to believe that this has been done for every single inverter 
> installed in HI.
>  
> But, what do I know.
>  
> Can anyone shed some light on this?
>  
> Thanks,
>  
> Mark Frye
> Berkeley Solar Electric Systems
> ___
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[RE-wrenches] Hawaii Frequency Settings

[Mark Frye]

Folks,

 

I was told that because the HI grid has poor frequency control, grid-tied
inverters have to have their low frequency limit set to 57 Hz so they can
ride out the worst low frequency events.

 

I find it hard to believe that this has been done for every single inverter
installed in HI.

 

But, what do I know.

 

Can anyone shed some light on this?

 

Thanks,

 

Mark Frye

Berkeley Solar Electric Systems

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