We all recognise the importance of locally generated solar energy in our mix of energy sources, and we take it for granted that it will be seamlessly integrated into our transition towards sustainable and clean energy.

But, will it?

If all manufacturers of the important equipment play by the same rules, then probably it will. But, some manufacturers will always buck the rules and focus on lower production costs. And some consumers will, naturally, purchase components of their home energy solution based on cost, without knowing the impacts of lower cost components.

A recent report in Poland, http://prosument.ptpiree.pl/konferencje/prosument/2021/materialy/42_ptpiree---wplyw-pv-na-ami-v1.1.pdf, translated by OSGP Alliance shows that we should not be complacent that technology will solve the problem and it will all just fit together and work.

The report shows that certain solar invertors, often originating from lower, less regulated manufacturing bases, and often lower in cost, can disrupt smart meter communications by injecting noise into the bands that smart meters communicate across. With smart meters being a central part of the smart energy transition, and as significant as local solar generation, this is a problem with the potential to disrupt national strategies.

In the report, OSGP comes out very positively. Because of the power we use to communicate above any noise and the dual frequency strategy we have selected, we are more immune than the other standards tested. Meaning that smart meters equipped with OSGP are more likely to continue to communicate the all-important consumer-side consumption metrics when these low-cost solar invertors are being used in their proximity. And it is this information which will drive the smart energy transition forwards.

At a national level, this places OSGP as one of the leading technologies for the on-going smart energy transition.

Download the report here (English & Spanish Versions):