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this post was submitted on 27 Jan 2024
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Some states still require you to be on the grid, and pay a connection/distribution fee, even if you are providing more energy than you're using.
When I was looking into installing solar when I lived in New Jersey, they said we weren't allowed to have a home battery system to store the solar power, either, due to the potential danger of utility workers on downed lines from unexpected loads (somebody should introduce New Jersey to the magic of diodes).
That's not how that works, there's not really any way to ensure one way flow with an AC system.
Fair enough, good point.
But there are plenty of failsafe options that could secure power from the house if no power is coming to the house.
Definitely, you can get changeover switches that will isolate you from the grid so you can run a generator etc.
Basically every transformer for solar power or s home battery already does this. You need to shop around for one that doesn't.
It's actually straightforward to ensure "one way" flow of power. That's what "islanding" circuits do. They isolate your home when the public utility lines go down by triggering a device that is essentially an electrically controlled switch. It's a unit that connects between your home and the utility company so you can continue to use your solar power/batteries when the public utility is out. If you don't have islanding, the solar inverter cuts off the panels when utilities go down. Both protect workers from encountering lines energized by homes.
You can just have a system to mechanically disconnect the system from the grid during an outage. This clearly isn't a Problem in other States