How to export rates based on solar system size

Summary:

OpenSolar now supports Germany’s feed-in tariff regulations by enabling export rates that vary according to the size of the solar system. This functionality ensures that proposals accurately reflect feed-in savings across system tiers. Users can apply these rates via detailed utility tariffs or the simple flat rate method.

Overview:

In Germany, the amount a customer earns from feed-in tariffs depends on the size of their installed solar PV system. To ensure compliance with these standards, OpenSolar has implemented features that allow you to define export rates according to system size thresholds.

These are the current feed-in rates that OpenSolar adheres to:

These features are supported in two main areas of the platform:

Option 1: Utility Tariff Configuration (Advanced Method)

For more granular control over export rates, you can create or edit German utility tariffs—either from OpenSolar’s database or your own custom tariffs.

Steps to Configure Tiered Export Rates:

1. Go to the Energy page or the Control page.
2. Edit an existing utility tariff or create a new one.
3. Scroll to the Export Rate section.
4. Add an export rate if none exists.
5. On the right-hand side, select Criteria: PV System Size.
6. Define the lower and upper size limits for this tier.
7. To add additional tiers:
   • Click + Add Rate and repeat the steps.
8. Save your tariff.

Option 2: Simple Flat Rate (Quick Method)

If you're using the simple flat rate tariff (found on the Energy page), OpenSolar will automatically apply the correct feed-in tiers based on system size.

• You can edit the rate values, but not the system size ranges.
• This method is ideal for fast setup without compromising compliance.

Benefits of Tiered Feed-in Rates

By enabling tiered export rates:

• Your proposals will automatically calculate accurate feed-in savings.
• This is particularly helpful when quoting multiple system sizes that fall into different tariff tiers.