New UL Listing Standard Solves Storage Problem Posted on Oct 29, 2019
An exciting new UL Listing standard solves the problem of long queues to get new meters for storage devices. Many utilities require storage devices have a new meter installed to ensure that solar plus storage customers are not falsely exporting power to the grid for Net Energy Metering ("NEM") credits. The new certification requirements decision ("CRD") for power control systems is a new optional component within UL 1741.
The CRD can certify two operating modes for NEM paired storage. Solar-Only Charging mode guarantees that a battery cannot charge from the grid. In No Grid Exports mode, the battery can charge from the grid but can only discharge for on-site load.
Storage certified according to this new standard becomes a NEM-eligible device verifiably 100% charged from solar without need for a separate meter. This is especially exciting in places like California where the bankrupt utility PG&E is taking 10 months and longer to process new meter requests. We expect this is just one of many advances in storage that we will see in the coming years as the storage industry continues its rapid maturation process.