In the field of commercial solar generation a similar trend is emerging as for private end customers: Self-consumption is becoming the most important business model. But other functionalities are becoming coming in as well, such as peak shaving for reducing costs at the point of connection to the grid; or uninterruptable power supply (UPS); or short-term demand for a company fleet that is to be converted to EVs. For all of these, commercial storage can also be very helpful.
Eaton offers scalable X-Storage
Eaton offers energy-efficient solutions that allow customers to manage electric, hydraulic and mechanical power more efficiently, safely and sustainably. In addition to their power management services, this globally active company also provides electricity storage units. These can be scaled to fit almost any potential application.
PV installations as well as grid-based power supply can be realised directly using X-Storage Buildings. This energy storage system has many applications. For instance, customers can reduce their electricity cost by charging the batteries either when renewable electricity in available or when power can be drawn from the grid at low cost.
In many countries this is already the case during the night. Unutilised capacity can be used to provide grid services or for peak load management.
The energy storage system X-Storage Buildings guarantees energy supply, even if the grid fails.
The energy storage systems by Eaton are available as commercial (X-Storage Buildings) as well as domestic solutions (X-Storage Home).
Hoppecke combines lead with lithium
Hoppecke has been owned by the Zoellner family since its establishment in 1927. Marc Zoellner is the fourth generation of directors of the company. In Munich, Hoppecke presented the Sun Systemizer Scalecube. This high-performance battery storage system is capable of storing a large amount of energy as well as giving off very high outputs.
Every Sun Systemizer Scalecube can be adapted to the individual requirements of each customer. To that end, the engineers combine lead-acid batteries using EES technology that allow large storage capacities and long storage periods with lithium ion batteries that can be discharged quickly in case of heavily fluctuating electricity demand. Its modular structure and the combination of two technologies with each its own unique benefits, make it suitable for a variety of applications. In many cases it is the best solutions in terms of both performance and cost.
The innovative system of racks allows the realisation of a maximum of storage capacity for a small footprint.
The Sun Systemizer Scalecube is available as in a ten-, 20- or 40-foot container, in accordance with IEC 62485. It can provide outputs from 100 kilowatts up to multiple megawatts. Storage capacities range from 100 kilowatt hours to multiple megawatt hours.
The 40-foot container can house up to two megawatt hours of lead-acid batteries or three megawatt hours of lithium. The system is capable of combining modules for different capacities, voltages, energy levels and outputs. Designing full solution is possible, including a transformer station, foundations, planning permission and commissioning. Hoppecke offer individualised customer service and financing solutions. Management, visualisation and integration is taken care of by sophisticated software.
Kaco presents the new Gridsave
Kaco New Energy is one of the largest manufacturers of grid-tie inverters for PV. So far, the Neckarsulm-based company has supplied about 12 gigawatts of inverters, and recently they have also started offering innovative systems for energy storage.
The Blueplanet Gridsave 50.0 TL3-S is a 50-kilowatt bi-directional battery inverter. KACO is directly marketing this unit at system integrators, whose solutions support utilities, distribution system operators, EPCs and larger companies in balancing generation and consumption within the grid.
The battery inverter integrates the storage battery either AC-coupled or in DC parallel operation. It is compatible with various types of batteries, for example lithium-ion batteries. It is reactive and can be scaled to form larger storage systems. Different energy management systems can be integrated through Sunspec's open Modbus TCP communication. The inverter is very compact and well suited for wall mounting.
Solarwatt: Matrix for larger customers
In Munich, Dresden-based Solarwatt presented the commercial version of their My-Reserve Matrix energy storage system. Combining several command modules and battery packs makes the devices from the system provider interesting for commercial customers who need more output and capacity.
Currently, up to five storage systems together with one management unit (Command) form one unit. This adds up to a total capacity of 60 kilowatt hours and an output of 20 kilowatts. “Our partners are able to address a completely new group of customers in the commercial segment,” Detlef Neuhaus, CEO of Solarwatt, says.
The wall-mounted system can be installed very quickly and also comes in a version for retrofitting. A later extension is easily possible.
Tesvolt presents TS HV 70
Early on, Tesvolt from Wittenberg specialised in battery storage for commercial enterprises. The company uses Samsung SDI prismatic lithium cells based on nickel-manganese cobalt oxide (NMC) - the safest cell technology on the market.
The storage units work equally well at low and high voltage. They can be connected to all power generators: Solar, wind, water, biogas and cogeneration – on-grid as well as off-grid. All Tesvolt storage units are produced at their own factory in Germany.
The new TS HV 70 storage unit is optimised for demanding applications in commercial operations with a storage requirement of 30 kilowatt hours or more. Due to its very high efficiency, the investment costs and the price per kilowatt hour stored are particularly low. The system costs are less than ten eurocents per kilowatt hour.
Tesvolt have developed a unique battery management system that permanently and reliably controls and balances the storage units (Active Battery). The storage capacities of the series range from ten kilowatt hours to 100 megawatt hours. The battery units are designed for a service life of 30 years. It achieves 8,000 full cycles and at three to five watts, the own consumption is particularly low.
The storage units can be charged and discharged at 1C. They are particularly suitable for peak shaving and increasing a company's self-consumption. Various applications for optimising diesel hybrid systems and providing services for the safe operation of the power grid are possible. (Heiko Schwarzburger)
Watch our PV Guided Tour on commercial storage systems:
http://www.pveurope.eu/Videos/pv-Guided-Tours-videos-2018
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