Does the LinkZB/LinkPro curtail solar completely when the consumption price is negative?

Does the LinkZB/LinkPro curtail solar completely when the consumption price is negative?

The LinkZB and LinkPro can switch off (e.g. curtail to 0) solar generation in the inverter completely when the buy (general) price for consuming power is negative. In this scenario, the sell (FiT) price and the buy price are negative. The solar automation (Solar for Amber, Solar for Localvolts) have a Zero Production Price setting. This is the price at which the inverter should stop producing entirely. We set the inverter production to 0 if the buy price is less than the Zero Production Price (which is currently set at -100 c/kWh).

Most hybrid inverters cannot fully curtail solar generation to zero while a battery is charging. In this state, the battery prioritises using all available solar power, drawing only the remaining balance from the grid to meet its charging requirements.

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Quick Sign Reference Table

ActivityFieldSign
Solar Panels GeneratingInverter (Solar)- (Negative)
Exporting to GridMeter- (Negative)
Importing from GridMeter+ (Positive)
Battery ChargingBattery+ (Positive)
Battery DischargingBattery- (Negative)
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Understanding Your Hybrid Inverter (PV + Battery) Energy Flow

How to read your energy data

Your Voltello app displays three main power values. To understand where your energy is going, it is helpful to look at the symbols (+/-) next to the numbers:

  • Solar (Inverter): Shown as negative (-) when your panels are producing power.

  • Battery: Shown as positive (+) when charging and negative (-) when discharging (powering your home or exporting to the grid).

  • Grid (Meter): Shown as negative (-) when you are exporting excess power to the grid and positive (+) when you are buying power from the grid.

Scenario 1: Solar Generation with Battery Charging

This occurs when your solar panels are producing more than the battery can charge at.

Example App Readings:

  • Solar (Inverter): -5.0 kW (Panels are producing full power)

  • Battery: +3.0 kW (The "extra" 3kW is being stored in your battery)

  • Grid (Meter): -2.0 kW (You are exporting 2kW to the grid)

Scenario 2: High Solar Generation (Full Export)

On a sunny day when your battery is already full, all generated solar power (minus what your house is currently using) is sent to the grid.

Example App Readings:

  • Solar (Inverter): -7.0 kW

  • Battery: 0.0 kW (Battery is full and idle)

  • Grid (Meter): -7.0 kW (You are exporting all generated power to the grid)

Scenario 3: Night Time (Battery Discharging)

When the sun is down, your solar generation stops. Your battery then "discharges" to run your home so you don't have to buy power from the grid.

Example App Readings:

  • Solar (Inverter): 0.0 kW (No sun)

  • Battery: -2.5 kW (The battery is discharging to power your home)

  • Grid (Meter): 0.0 kW (You are self-sufficient; no power is being taken from the grid)