This guide is specific to Other (or DIY plans). Please refere to the Amber Electric & LocalVolts guide for principles specific to the wholesale market, the Flow Power Guide for principles specific to Flow Power, or the GloBird Guide for principles specific to GloBird.
The Other/DIY plan features of Energy Manager allow you to make your own plan. The idea is that if you find a plan suitable for your situation at the likes of AGL/CovaU, etc, then you can configure Energy Manager to go by their tariff periods and pricing. Energy Manager supports most electricity plans (request features if you plan has some unusual in it) that go by the standard Peak, Offpeak, Shoulder, Export periods, including the newer Free Import tariffs.
The following are usually the periods for purchasing electricity from general electricity providers, but prices will depend on the provider and plan:
Energy Manager can be configured to purchase during the free, offpeak and shoulder periods automatically, but will not import during any peak period. All the other buy period imports (except for peak) can be toggled on or off as well. Note that if you enable importing during free, offpeak and shoulder periods, it does not mean that it will simply buy during these periods. Energy Manager will calculate your solar generation and compare that with your expected power usage profile and then purchase from the cheapest available period, to top up your battery to your required state of charge. Generally the priority (which is dependent on price) is free period first, then offpeak period, then shoulder period (assuming that charging/importing during all these periods are enabled). If you disable importing during these periods and there is not enough solar to fully charge your battery, your battery will not achieve maximum capacity.
Energy Manager contains three periods that can be configured for exports. Only one is generally required, unless you have a period that has a higher export tariff.
Energy Manager can be configured to export or not export during these periods automatically.
Note: the first reached of your battery reserve or export cap will trigger exports to stop.
You can also disable the export from your battery and only allow excess solar to be exporting during these export periods, if that is more appropriate for your situation.
There are two methods to charge your battery:
a. From the electricity generated from your solar array
b. From importing from the grid
Energy Manager aims to work out what the best method is for you. If your system is capable of generating and storing enough electricity to charge your battery without help, it will not take from the grid. When it does have to take from the grid, it ensures that it is taken during the cheapest enabled periods..
Ideally you should only discharge your battery under two circumstances:
a. During high Export periods (generally coincides with a peak import period).
b. After the sun has gone down (or you're generating less than you are using, and it is cheaper to use your stored power than take from the grid).
Depending on whether your electricity plan pays you for exports or not, you may want to curtail excess solar. There is a generic curtailing switch available to toggle as to whether curtailing is enforced or not. You only need to be concerned with curtailing if you are penalised for sending excess solar to the grid.
Energy Manager will import power from the grid under the following circumstances:
a. You have no power left in your battery (or the reserve has been met)
b. It is advantageous to purchase from the grid during cheap periods than use the power stored in your battery. The stored energy should be kept for later when you might be penalised for importing during a high demand period. This will only work if you have enabled the battery to be charged from the grid.
Exports are limited to the following situations:
a. It is currently an export period and you will get a good sell price for your exported power. This is generally a forced export.
b. Curtailing is disabled and and your battery is full, and you have excess solar generation. A forced export will not happen, but Energy Manager may allow your excess to be exported (if enabled).