Solar panels with micro inverters

[JanVlietland]

After completing my domoticz adventure viewtopic.php?t=42719 I'm now venturing into solar energy. My requirements for this next step are as follows:
* Solar panels combined with microinverters: maximizing energy efficiency at the panel level.
* Integrating with a home energy storage system (battery): to cover energy usage in the night
* No internet/cloud connection or dependency: Ensuring local control and data privacy.

After som preliminary research I explored the brands: Enphase, APsystems, Hoymiles, SolarEdge, Tsun, SMA, Autarco, Omnic, Deye and Sungrow. Among these, only a few seem to offer microinverters with an API (via a gateway) and/or a Zigbee interface for local control:
* APsystems (Zigbee enabled)
* Hoymiles (sub 1GHz protocol, still figuring out connectivity)
* Deye (Powerline/Wifi/Zigbee, connectivity details under review)
* Sungrow (gateway includes a lan interface, still figuring out local control possibilities)

However these brands (at least) seem to expect their systems to be connected to their respective cloud. This is a dealbreaker for me. I want to avoid internet dependency due to concerns over potential hacking, vendor lock-in, or even supplier bankruptcy. My energy system should remain fully under my control. My energy system should be fully under my control.

Objectives:
- Offline Functionality: Has anyone in this forum successfully implemented an offline solar setup with microinverters? Ideally, the system should already support MQTT or allow easy integration.
- Real-Time Energy Pricing: I'm also looking for energy suppliers that publish real-time prices. This will enable the system to make intelligent decisions about whether to feed power to the grid or store it in the battery. Given that this setup needs to last 25+ years, the Dutch salderingsregeling will be a thing of the past long before then.
- In-Depth Resources: Recommendations for forums or communities that dive deep into solar energy technology and integrations are highly appreciated.

Thank you in advance for your insights and advice!

[waltervl]

For Dutch energy pricing look at the Enever integration. Also has prices of the next day per hour so you can plan on forehand.

For solar inverters, non of my (not mini) inverters need an internet connection to produce energy. Internet mostly needed to monitor. You can also monitor the energy production with external energy (kWh) meters that can communicate with Domoticz (zigbee, S0, wifi).

And if you do not have partial shade on your solar panels during the day there is no need for mini inverters, you better use the normal inverters. The extra costs are hard to earn back.

[JanVlietland]

That is great information Walter. Thank you! I have added the Enever integration and will request a access token.

At second thought I indeed also do not have partial shade. What type of inverters do you have since you imply multiple, but not mini.

Indeed I want to use Zigbee enabled power monitors and connect them to Domoticz via mqtt, like my other zigbee devices.

Do you have a battery? In fact I still need to understand how switching is done between battery and the energy provider, based on delivery and prices.

[waltervl]

I have 3 sets of solar panels as I bought every 2 years an extra set. 1700, 1900 and 3600 Wp. I have 2 Goodwe DNS and one Omnik inverter. Omnik is bankrupt but the inverter still works fine. The Goodwe DNS inverters can be monitored directly but that needs something extra. I monitor them through the cloud.

For power monitoring you can use zigbee power clamp meters like https://www.zigbee2mqtt.io/devices/PJ-MGW1203.html

I don't have batteries and also not plan to install them soon as it seems financial totally not interesting. You hear now stories about earning a lot of money by using smart pricing algoritms but it already seems to be regulated down by the power companies as they don't want the fluctuations on the net. I also have a PHEV car and heatpump and an old fashioned turning power meter. And I guess in the end only in the summer I could use a battery to charge my car in the evening with the solar energy stored in my battery. The winter I use too much electricity for my solar setup to cover. If I want to use a battery to cover this I will need a huge one.....

[BazemanKM]

Sessy battery is Dutch and has an Domoticz plugin: viewtopic.php?f=65&t=42865
For car charger: https://gathering.tweakers.net/forum/li ... 2#80869032 Smart EVSE

[gizmocuz]

"No internet/cloud connection or dependency: Ensuring local control and data privacy."

It's great to also have a cloud environment to check the status/logs.
Updates for your system to support new features like 0 return on the grid by disabling a certain amount of microinverters etc

Enphase is (in my opinion) a good systeem, can also work without an active internet connection.
You can take control of your own system, so only the data is logged to Enphase, and boy what are they interested in 'your' data!

Now talking about batteries, these days you can buy multiple brands, some even have a paid subscription to let it know when to charge/dischange.

I build my own system, bought a good battery (14.3 kW) for ~2200€, and am using Victron equipment.
Victron is great, you can control it the way you want, but they have also an ESS mode that does everything for you.
If you go to my personal Github project page, you find my implementation complete with all code/scripts you need in Domoticz.

Enphase can be monitored directly with Domoticz
Victron supports MQTT and with this (See my repo) you can connect/control it with Domoticz

Mind you, this is for advanced users, sure it can be a 'set it and forget it' solution, but it probably needs some more tweaking

There are tons of information to be found on the internet about batteries, and I suggest watching all of them (for instance the video's of 'off grid garage')

You also have to decide if you want a 1 phase of 3 phase system

The Victron multiplus also has a backup output, for a 3 phase system you want to have 2 cables of 6mm2 (5 wires) going to your battery, one cable for input, the other for output.
You also need to decide where to connect your microinverters.

If you are not good with electricity, you do need to hire someone that connects everything for you. a DC system with >70A is very dangerous.

For a car charger, Alfen Eve Single Pro Line, this is also the one that for example Essent is providing.
You can find good second hands on Dutch marktplaats from users that left Essent.
Native support in Domoticz as well. Nice about these things is they do support a backend for business users, and you can program them to use with for example your watch that supports NFC (no needs for cards or tags, aldo you can use your bank card if you wish)
It supports load balancing.
And I have integrated it into my system because when you charge your batteries, and you want to charge your car (at 01.00am for example because of the price), you do need to stop charging your batteries or fuse could blow)