What happens if solar panels run at high voltages?

Strings of solar panels operate at high voltages, up to 600V or higher. Operating at these elevated voltages over many years can, in some cases, allow a current leak to develop through the cells to the aluminium frames of the solar panels and into the earth, resulting in a significant performance loss.

How can a homeowner reduce a high grid voltage problem?

If options 1 and 2 are problematic or too difficult, the easiest way for a homeowner to reduce high grid voltage issues is to self-consume as much solar energy as possible. Increasing self-consumption will reduce the amount of solar being exported and thus reduce the grid voltage; it will also help save money by using less energy from the grid.

How to manage excess photovoltaic production?

As the below video suggests, a combination of the four possible options—grid injection, power limitation, storage, and the very attractive alternative of load shifting—frequently turns out to be the best way to manage excess photovoltaic production.

What happens if grid voltage is higher than solar power?

Electricity flows from higher voltage to lower voltage. This means if the grid voltage is higher than the voltage produced by rooftop solar, that solar power system will be unable to export energy.

Why is rooftop solar a problem?

It’s a growing problem. When grid voltage rises too high, rooftop solar either reduces output or shuts down. This not only costs solar households money but costs the country lives, as clean solar energy going to waste means more fossil fuel is burned, resulting in more pollution and environmental damage.

How often does excess photovoltaic production occur?

Therefore, excess photovoltaic production happens relatively often, even when the photovoltaic system is sized so that it does not exceed the building baseload consumption. Alternatives for managing excess solar production