Switzerland-based Studer Innotec is launching a battery inverter that will bring the advantages of off-grid space to grid-connected installations in Europe. In this interview, Pierre-Olivier Moix, CTO and board member of Studer Innotec, explained the difference from the standard energy home system and some possible applications.
Three-phase battery inverter next3.
When you supply power to the backup system, you not only need to have a high enough AC power source, but you also need to provide excess power. why is it like this? What is the appropriate value for the power and duration of the possible excess power?
Pierre-Olivier Moix: We treat the backup system as an off-grid system for a limited period of time. The system should be able to meet the required demand, not the other way around-it's just that the system can provide limited demand. This is why the value cannot be fixed, it depends on each project and specific needs. The good news is that this value can be adjusted over time, depending on how needs evolve. In our example, there is no limit, because you can even add units in parallel if the demand increases significantly.
You launched a new product, and you said that the product provides "true autonomy and backup power" and is also suitable for grid-connected single-family homes in Northern and Southern Europe. Which customers do you think are willing to pay a surcharge for this advanced back-up performance?
We all know the trend of electricity prices now. The industry is transforming from a concentrated and heavily subsidized market to a dynamic multi-participant scenario. Electricity requirements for single-family homes are also changing, especially with the advent of electric vehicles. People who hope to significantly reduce their carbon footprint without sacrificing autonomy or independence will rely more on storage systems in the future. The storage system without the limitation of "small print" can freely determine the electrical model according to its own situation without considering external factors.
Experts from Studer Innotec will introduce their new solution in the photovoltaic magazine Spotlight on Wednesday, explain the new next3, an all-in-one three-phase battery inverter, and answer your questions.
Date: October 20, 11:00 am CEST, Berlin/SAST, Cape Town; 12:00 pm/EAT, Kenya; 2:30 pm/IST, Delhi; 4:00 pm Hanoi, Bangkok
You should not only emphasize the quality of the backup power supply, but also the energy management function. In this regard, what does the customer want?
Everything is becoming smarter and smarter, and this also happens on electronic devices. Centralizing and controlling all available intelligence is still a challenge and is far from standardized. We have adopted a simple and easy-to-understand energy strategy, and the first layer of intelligent energy management can be easily implemented without any additional controllers. These strategies will have a real impact on the energy situation, increasing the energy self-sufficiency rate by 20% to 50%.
When you want to profit from the performance of next3, what is the typical size of a solar and battery home system that you would recommend?
The next3 architecture is designed for three-phase requirements and has great flexibility. In terms of power, our single-phase can provide up to 24-30 kW peak and 10 kW peak. Storage types are also flexible, not only in terms of battery technology, because our inverters can use lithium, lead-acid, and many other battery technologies. In terms of storage capacity, our flexible charging and discharging profiles can configure profiles for each battery storage system, so customers, not the system, are responsible for determining their own autonomy.
Technically speaking, what are the main design differences of your new product compared to standard solar and energy storage home systems?
It is unfair to directly compare existing home energy storage systems with our solutions. We recommend applying the off-grid model to grid-connected applications, and we are one step ahead in terms of autonomy and self-sufficiency. In our example, the battery is a must, and the grid is an accessory that we can use as an asset. Our equipment needs batteries to work, and the system architecture is different. This is why we unconditionally provide solar self-sufficiency. In order to design such a system, we recommend paying attention to the required needs and autonomy. In terms of maximizing output, solar energy (if available) is usually the most interesting energy source. Other variables, especially battery capacity, will depend on the required self-sufficiency rate. The system should be able to meet the energy demand for the next 10-20 years. However, battery capacity is a modular asset that can evolve as the system evolves.
In order to provide advanced back-up performance, do you have to pay the price of reduced efficiency due to excessive component size? How important is efficiency for such a product? How do you measure and quantify system efficiency?
Based on our long-term experience in energy storage, compared with demand and energy management, efficiency is important, but not a key factor. However, with our innovative system architecture based on the DC link, we are able to achieve efficiencies from solar energy to load and from solar energy to the grid, which are at the same or even higher level. The main impact on system performance comes not only from the intelligent management of available solar resources that are well managed by everyone, but also from storage assets. Effective use of storage can greatly improve the overall system efficiency and self-sufficiency rate.
Do you also use this system for pure off-grid solutions, or do you have other products for these situations?
In most cases, in the off-grid state, we also need to deal with AC power (generators, turbines, etc.). In fact, we see the grid as another AC power source that should be integrated into the system. Therefore, the device can be used for off-grid and grid-connected applications, and the main advantages of integration, flexibility, and smart energy management are very useful in both cases. Our famous Xtender battery inverter is also a very important factor since the beginning of the consumer industry. Different regulations and simple applications are an obstacle. Through next3, we believe that we provide a very relevant solution for solar self-sufficiency and are fully prepared for challenging future trends.
Installers should keep in mind which off-grid applications are available in Europe?
Agriculture and field applications, mobile applications, C&I [commercial and industrial] portable and temporary applications, remote settings. An off-grid department will remain off-grid.
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This article is supported by Studerinnotec2 in collaboration with pv magazine.
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