How Do Storage Systems in Photovoltaic Installations Work?

Philipp Wolff, Deutsche CleanTech Institute July 18, 2013 | 13 Comments Those who equip photovoltaic installations with a storage system are mostly interested in increasing the on-site consumption of generated solar power. However, people often forget to consider that these kinds of battery systems only reveal their full potential through their multiple uses. In addition to allowing operators of photovoltaic installations to significantly increase on-site consumption, a storage system also enables them to reduce their dependency on utility companies and ensures that power will continue to be supplied without interruption should the public power grid temporarily fail. Battery storage systems have long been common practice in off-grid photovoltaic installations (otherwise known as stand-alone solutions) in order to ensure that power is continuously supplied without interruption. In contrast, the use of storage systems in grid-connected solar installations, which are the norm for installations on private roofs and commercial businesses, is still a relatively new phenomenon. Electricity storage systems that are available on the market are suitable for use when retrofitting existing photovoltaic installations and can also be factored into the system design when planning new installations. All storage systems save excess energy and put it at the disposal of consumers at a later point in time. Solar modules generate direct current, which is converted into alternating current by an inverter before being fed into the public power grid or being used by domestic power consumers. Battery storage systems can be integrated into both the direct current and alternating current sides of the installation. If the operator knows that a storage system is required before construction works begin, the system will normally be integrated into the direct current side of the installation. This reduces investment costs, achieves a higher efficiency, and allows module output and storage capacity to be coordinated with each other in the system design. Specific inverters with an integrated charge and discharge control directly charge the (integrated) battery with solar energy. They also convert it into alternating current if the temporarily stored solar energy is to be used by power consumers at a later point. In principal, it is possible to integrate storage systems into the direct current side even when retrofitting existing installations. If the inverter present does not have the necessary configuration, then the battery can also operate with the help of an external charge controller. In addition to the battery, a specific battery inverter must be installed for the storage system to be integrated into the alternating current circuit. This inverter converts alternating current into direct current, which is required for charging the accumulator. The disadvantage to this solution is that further losses occur when converting back from alternating current into direct current, thus minimizing the systems efficiency. On the other hand, the plant operator has significantly more choice when choosing the battery capacity, which is advantageous, for example, if module output in an existing installation is given as a set amount. The controller regulates the amount of generated power that is fed into the public power grid, the amount used to charge the storage system and the amount that is delivered directly to domestic power consumers. Normally, the controller is programmed to maximize the on-site consumption of electricity generated in the photovoltaic installation. Storage systems can contribute significantly to this by temporarily shifting the supply. Alongside load management on the part of the consumer, stabilizing the power grids could also increasingly codetermine the storage systems management in the future. In this case, storage system operators provide decentralized capacities, which are integrated into an intelligent power grid, and they are then remunerated as part of a capacity-dependent energy market.

This article was originally published on SolarEnergyStorage and was republished with permission.

13 COMMENTS
JIM STACK
24 July 2013

REGISTER TO COMMENT

If it LEAD your going backwards to begin with. Even popular Science had an article showing LEAD is the worst pollution in history. We took lead out of paint and even gasoline so lets not use it in batteries. Stationary batteries are also short sighted. They can only be use at that one location. The best is V2G, read www.V2G-101.COM to learn how advanced lithium batteries can act as backup, Time Of day power feeds and regulation of the GRID. Solar City is the only Solar company I know of that is using Lithium batteries as backup. They are from Tesla , the best new car in 100 years and only new car company in 50 years in the USA !

DENNIS HEIDNER
23 July 2013

William and RMICHAEL, correct - the current US consumer UL approved systems for solar would not work. But the author is suggesting an alternative - more like the Nissan Leif model EV2G model. An inverter designed specifically to interact -- charge and feed back into the grid. Economics are different because you are using lithium ion instead of lead acid, battery wear is still a problem - and the utility is still likely to be skeptical. Such system is likely to be located by behind its own meter such that utility can separate the charges. Most of the Nissan tests of EV2G were just pilots and not approved for large scale deployment. University of Delaware and DOD are experimenting with EV2G and storage on the east coast. Solarcity has been trying this in pilots.... The issue isn't only that the utilities don't want it done, but until recently FERC had not approved regulations that would allow this - or even billing/metering for the service. That's changed recently (last five or six weeks) and we may see more wide spread pilots and services being offered.

WILLIAM FITCH III

22 July 2013

Hi: RC brings up a good practical point. Standard grid ties "mimic" to create their power. Inverter chargers which can produce virgin sine wave don't "mimic" they create. Their wave would not be in "sync" with the grid, pulling from the batteries, so you have a engineering problem as to how the power will be extracted from the batteries with the grid up. Solvable I am sure, but not certainly a standard configuration.... .....Bill

RMICHAEL CURRAN
22 July 2013

I believe all grid-tied inverters in the US are required to meet UL standard 1741, which states in part that the inverter must disconnect from the grid when the grid goes down. This applies whether batteries are present or not. So as things stand now it's not possible to use grid tied battery systems in the US as described in this article.

ROY WAGNER
21 July 2013

Most Utilities with a feed in tariff will discourage battery use. FIT rates require as much electricity as you can generate going into the grid to recover your investment as quickly as possible. A battery storage solution added to the initial installation can double your payback time. Disconnects from the grid are automatic if the grid goes down to protect Utility workers. A battery installation for these rare events is hard to justify. There is equipment available that can run essential services such as computers and refrigeration from your panels if the grid goes down this is a more practical option for most homeowners. An emergency generator is a lot smaller investment for these rare events. If your completely off the grid batteries make sense for times when High energy usage is required and for lighting at night. A windmill can use the batteries too.

ANGUS CAMPBELL
20 July 2013

Abandoned mines and quarries could serve as sites for pumped hydro storage. If the mine is flooded (mostly near the sea coast or near a large lake) the water can be pumped out creating a hole in the ground. As the need for electricity arises the flow of water is reversed from the ocean or lake and back into the mine generating electricity in the process. the good thing about this is that the reverse flow back into the mine has a near constant head until the level reaches the generator/pump combination. The technology already exist for this type of pumped hydro storage and could be used as a cooperative arrangement whereby several producers store energy and sell it to the grid when needed.

ASAD ALI
20 July 2013

Hi JG Williams, Can I know more about the system you are talking about, we are thinking about preparing a proposal for Rural Areas in our country. The proposal is about pumping water for irrigation purposes using PV, idea is reversing the pump to generate electricity needs clearity, will appreciate if more guidelines could be provided My EMail is : aliasadraja1@gmail.com Thanks

WILLIAM FITCH III

20 July 2013

Hi: Again, using batteries to "help the grid out", those battery systems owned by the "homeowner", whether they be stand alone for the PV/Wind system or an EV's battery bank, puts the cost of that "wear and tear" on the homeowner necessitating replacement FAR sooner than a float situation. In an ideal float situation for regular lead acid, you can "squeeze" 8-10 years out of them. Start using them as load levelers for the grid, etc. and watch your life drop to 4 or 5 years. The chemistry does not exist yet in chemical batteries for cycle depth and frequency to not effect battery life. Only with electric field storage (Super caps) does DOD and frequency drop out of the longevity equation. SO, does the homeowner get to charge the electric companies for the double wear and tear on their battery system in terms of a rate increase to the utility?? Thou thinks only in a fantasy world.... .....Bill

GARY TULIE
20 July 2013

There is a further technical use for solar grid connected batteries besides allowing the solar array owner to use their own power later, and the ability to run in islanded mode, and that is the possibility in places with lots of solar power like Germany, Hawaii and California and that is the possibility with suitable smart controls for the grid to utilise the battery systems as a distributed emergency spinning reserve. Suppose that across Hawaii at some future date there are 100,000 domestic grid solar arrays with battery backup each capable of delivering 5 kW for one hour when fully charged - even if on average the batteries have only half their capacity available, you still have 250 MWh available to stabilise the power grid if a power station goes down. Likewise, if a large user goes down the batteries can absorb the excess power until the grid operator can respond using other sources of spinning reserve.

ANGUS CAMPBELL
20 July 2013

Mr. Ferguson I am presently working on a Wave Energy Converter which can be used in conjunction with a Wind Turbine tower to co-generate electricity. One of the areas I looked at for storing excess energy is on board ocean going cargo ships. Here is how it would work. Design and build a test model of a cargo vessel which has on board hydrogen storage capacity using one of several storage methods now in the research stages or of proven capabilities. The cargo vessels would both produce and store hydrogen and use it as a propulsion fuel replacing diesel fuels. The excess would be sold back to the grid while the vessel is in port as grid electricity during peak times. The ocean going shipping industry would be very interested in this since it reduces one of the biggest expenses they have and if storage capacities prove large enough, enable each vessel to make money while in port. I know it sounds off beat but by using cargo vessels, energy can be transported to sea ports around the world where grid connections would be readily available without building new transmission lines.

JG WILLIAMS
20 July 2013

Hi, Best means of electricity storage for a farm in hilly country is to pump water between a lower tank to a higher tank and then reverse the pump to generate hydro-electricity when you need the electricity. In the UK we receive feed-in-tariffs for pumping the water uphill using either wind or solar PV and then further FITs when we generate the hydro-electricity. The Grand Old Duke of York would have been delighted. If scaled properly, there should be no need to draw on the grid and this would just be used 'in extremis' when there has been a prolonged windless and cloudy period. This would save on the exorbitant hook-up charges levied by the local grid operator as the farmer would no longer have surplus renewable electricity to export to the grid. Farms have a wide range of relatively cheap slurry tanks that can be used for pumped storage. If the upper storage tank can be sited below a spring, there would be natural filling of the tank to supplement the pumped storage. This is little different from the Victorians who stored spring water in reservoirs for use when milling. Not everything needs a technical solution! Gage Williams, Cornwall, UK

ANONYMOUS
19 July 2013

In California, Southern California Edison (SCE) is NOT allowing battery back up systems to be interconnected and receive Net Energy Renewable Credits because they do not want people to be doing what William Fitch III proposes "Store up in batteries while the rate is cheap and sell back when the rate is high". In fact our inverter manufacturer tells us the systems are NOT designed to be able to do this. We have filed a complaint with the California Utility Commission, our system has been installed and turned off for the last three months due to SCE's change in the way they are wanting to do business. No review process, no change in the law just SCE thinking they are above the law. They have also convinced PGE and San Diego Utility Company to back them up. There has been many independent studies showing that battery back up solar systems actually benefit the grid and off course the community.

WILLIAM FITCH III

19 July 2013

Hi: I really do not get your whole idea of grid tie and storage benefiting max production when the grid is up. Keeping topped off and or cycling batteries only reduces life and uses electricity. The best way to maximize life is to let them sit, no float, and every few months hit them with a full charge up. This keeps the acid mixed up and wastes as little as possible of production electricity and maximizes battery life. The only way grid tie could benefit with storage is if Time Of Rate was in effect at the location. Store up in batteries while the rate is cheap and sell back when the rate is high. The wear and tear on the battery bank would be greatly increased and the rate differences would have to be pretty large to make it worth while. Usually when the sun is out the rates would be high and lowest at night, so "naturally" you have the best conditions without storage for a regular grid tie PV that can over produce the daytime load. The main benefit with storage is the availability when the grid is down coupled with an RE source (Sun/wind) as your recharge entity. This gives independence and resiliency. .....Bill

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