how long until DIY solar is dead? -- states are beginning to require microinverters

Along the same lines, many/most AHJs are requiring that only licensed electricians can pull permits for solar installs.

here's the legislation from NM

<rhetorical>if solar is really a viable renewable energy solution, why are "they" restricting it to the point that systems cannot be off-grid and cannot be DIY installed?</rhetorical>

Just another good reason to get it now.

Can you do DIY in Cal.? I see per your 1st. article smart inverters been required for a few years?

Is your concern just a version of "the sky is falling"?

I didn't read the full 119 pages (don't care too) can you call out the pages that concern you?

Mike 134 said:

Can you do DIY in Cal.?

Click to expand...

In June 2021 I pulled an Owner Builder permit in Sonoma County, California with no issues.

the point is that government intervention is intentionally limiting (killing?) the implementation of a renewable energy option.

if we believe climate change is real, we're running out of fossil fuels and we want to incentivize moving to solar, then this type of intervention is sending the opposite message.

x98myers7 said:

the point is that government intervention is intentionally limiting (killing?) the implementation of a renewable energy option.

if we believe climate change is real, we're running out of fossil fuels and we want to incentivize moving to solar, then this type of intervention is sending the opposite message.

Click to expand...

Because the climate change hoax is all about money and political power.

x98myers7 said:

if we believe climate change is real, we're running out of fossil fuels

Click to expand...

The climate has been changing since the beginning of time and we as well as the next couple of generations of humans will be gone before any real shortage of fossil fuel. Where solar is affordable for you, use it, where economizing makes sense do it, if you enjoy large vehicles and can afford them, use them. But when anyone tries to make those decisions for others it crosses a line

x98myers7 said:

the point is that government intervention is intentionally limiting (killing?) the implementation of a renewable energy option.

if we believe climate change is real, we're running out of fossil fuels and we want to incentivize moving to solar, then this type of intervention is sending the opposite message.

Click to expand...

It was never about the environment to "them." It is about control and money. Global warming/climate change is just a convenient façade.

Really, just follow the money. You can't get scientific "grants" and all kinds of funding for any kind of research that doesn't have the end goal or result of "proving" MMGW is a thing. Any study that calls their narrative into question is censored and suppressed (just like anything else that goes against their narrative, see JFK, COVID, etc). All about controlling the masses. They realized though that by pushing solar too much that it actually opens the door for more self-sufficient living at least in some areas, and they can't stand that, so they gotta crank the regulation screws to make it back out of reach again.

Anyway, I have micros and it made the initial grid-tie install easier and more cost effective. Adding storage to let it run by itself is a little more complicated due to having to have an inverter that can handle AC coupling, but, it is also a UL inverter, so if any questions come up from there I'm still good (though around here I doubt anyone is even going to care that much what I do, even if I did manage to burn my house down).

x98myers7 said:

then this type of intervention is sending the opposite message.

Click to expand...

I equate messaging with marketing. I think the drivers of change/growth will be economics.

SparkyJJO said:

Anyway, I have micros and it made the initial grid-tie install easier and more cost effective. Adding storage to let it run by itself is a little more complicated due to having to have an inverter that can handle AC coupling, but, it is also a UL inverter, so if any questions come up from there I'm still good (though around here I doubt anyone is even going to care that much what I do, even if I did manage to burn my house down).

Click to expand...

how did you get approval to bypass the grid keep-alive signal for the RSD? micro-inverters have to shut down when grid is down.

x98myers7 said:

how did you get approval to bypass the grid keep-alive signal for the RSD? micro-inverters have to shut down when grid is down.

Click to expand...

They are only required to shut down, if connected to the grid. Removing the grid connection serves the same purpose.

timselectric said:

They are only required to shut down, if connected to the grid. Removing the grid connection serves the same purpose.

Click to expand...

he said his install is grid-tied.

x98myers7 said:

how did you get approval to bypass the grid keep-alive signal for the RSD? micro-inverters have to shut down when grid is down.

Click to expand...

The technique is called "AC Coupling".

x98myers7 said:

he said his install is grid-tied.

Click to expand...

Yes
But when the grid is down. All that is required is that you don't send power to the grid.
Disconnecting from the grid is an option.

Yeah, I have an Outback Radian that will cut connection to the grid when it goes down, and establishes its own "grid" that the micros will then sync to, and uses frequency-watts to control the micros so that they don't push power when there's nowhere for it to go and blow up stuff.

SparkyJJO said:

It was never about the environment to "them." It is about control and money. Global warming/climate change is just a convenient façade.

Click to expand...

Welcome to the world of special interest groups lobbying your government representatives. 99.9% of the garbage laws that are passed are the result of powerful special interests groups and corporations trying to secure their financial future by restricting your liberties and rights.

It was a conservative supreme court in 2010 (Citizens United v. FEC) that granted corporations (and everyone else) the right to make unlimited campaign donations for their own special interests.

SparkyJJO said:

Yeah, I have an Outback Radian that will cut connection to the grid when it goes down, and establishes its own "grid" that the micros will then sync to, and uses frequency-watts to control the micros so that they don't push power when there's nowhere for it to go and blow up stuff.

Click to expand...

How do you use micros with a Radian? I was going yo use a Radian with mppts but if I can use micros with it all the better.

Johneb said:

How do you use micros with a Radian? I was going yo use a Radian with mppts but if I can use micros with it all the better.

Click to expand...

Look in the manual how to set up AC coupling. It requires the micros to support frequency watts control also. In my case, I have to configure them to support it. Chilicon has the instructions how to do it on their micros right on their website.

x98myers7 said:

the point is that government intervention is intentionally limiting (killing?) the implementation of a renewable energy option.

Click to expand...

The two states with the larger renewable energy are California and Texas. I don't see the correlation between renewable energy generation and government between those two states which are opposite politically.

Ampster said:

The two states with the larger renewable energy are California and Texas. I don't see the correlation between renewable energy generation and government between those two states which are opposite politically.

Click to expand...

I had no idea Texas was at the top of the list.
I'm not often surprised anymore in my older age but that one got me.