Summary is:
I was trying to think of ways to stage/spread an ESS purchase across tax years such that each stage is usable and the final result is a 3-phase capable multiplus install with at least the minimum required battery capacity.
Some background:
At one point I previously lived off grid with a Victron multiplus based system for about 4 years in the UK so I'm happy with understanding basic solar install concepts but that was some years ago and I am new to on-grid/ESS. I am now living in northern Sweden. We have solar with a grid-tie inverter but would like to make the move to add batteries. Our existing solar installer uses another brand that is cheap but isn't flexible/intelligent. I guess I really miss living with the flexibility of my old multiplus. I would like to go Victron if possible and so I was considering how we might be able to install a multiplus II ESS system and have been reading up on the current products. Cost is an issue however so I was looking to take maximum advantage of the tax relief, which is where it gets complicated.
In Sweden, there is currently a 50% tax reduction for battery installs including connecting hardware needed for the batteries to work (like inverters/chargers), up to roughly 50k SEK per year (approx $4650/€4300/£3800 maximum reduction on twice that amount). I'm on a 16 amp 3-phase feed. Our largest electric loads currently are a ground source heatpump which maxes out at a worst of about 8kw and a 2kw oven. I was thinking an end result of 3x 5000VA multiplus II would work for anything I might do now or in the future.
The problem:
So I was trying to think of ways to spread the installation, and hence tax benefit, across multiple years. But it needs to be a working (completed) install at each step to qualify is my understanding.
Maybe solution:
I was thinking year 1 could be 1x multiplus 5000VA on one phase, with the smallest Victron recommended battery install size. The existing solar inverter would be on the grid side, so as to reduce complications in battery/inverter sizing.
Year 2 would then be adding 2x multiplus bringing it to a 3-phase system, and increasing the battery bank size.
I was thinking if I had to, I could do stage 1 in December of one year, then in January of the new tax year immediately install the second step to keep differences in battery wear acceptable. Or maybe there is a better way like using the pylontech lv-hub and then the two stacks can be of different ages. I've not used the lynx distributor system before and I'm not 100% on if it can help here from reading the docs but would look at that too.
So I was hoping to get some feedback on how crazy this all sounds. Especially as there seem to be no installers in northern Sweden according to the interactive map on the Victron site. I would have to put my plan to an electrician unfamiliar with victron. If you had to, is this how you would split an install into stages or is there another option that you can think of?
Thanks
