Increasing solar panel self-consumption with energy storage

  • Solar Power System: 400 kW
    Energy Storage: 210 kW / 430 kWh

    A solar power system equipped with grid-feedback protection was installed at the site; this system can generate only as much energy as is required to meet the current demand. As a result, the photovoltaic system’s output is limited by the current on-site load, meaning that the solar panels’ potential energy production cannot be fully utilized. While this solution ensures compliance with grid regulations, it results in a significant loss of yield.

  • In order to reduce production losses, two energy storage systems and an Alteneva EMS control unit were installed at the site. The EMS continuously monitors the power measured at the grid feed-in point (by reading the installed energy meter) and the output of the solar system.

    The existing reverse power protection continues to operate through the PV system's own control, while the EMS attempts to prevent the system from remaining in a permanently feed-in-limited state by increasing the charging capacity of the energy storage devices. As a result, the solar panels can operate at higher power levels while still avoiding grid feed-in.

    The control unit ensures that the storage unit does not feed back into the public grid, even if PV production suddenly drops (e.g., in case of cloud cover). Excess solar energy is stored in the energy storage unit so that it can be used later, reducing the demand on the grid.

  • Alteneva EMS's intelligent control algorithm increases the actual energy production of the solar system by up to 30-40%, as it continuously adjusts the charging of the storage unit to the current PV production. The system fully complies with feed-in protection regulations: it prevents the energy storage device from feeding back into the grid and, if necessary, works in conjunction with existing reverse power protection or can even perform this function independently.

    In the absence of sunshine, the EMS regulates the storage immersion so that it almost always covers only the current consumption of the site, thus reducing grid consumption to a minimum during these periods.

EV charging station network capacity boost

  • Solar Power System: 50 kW
    Energy Storage: 105 kW / 215 kWh
    Grid Feed-in: 3×80 A (~50 kW)
    DC Charger I: 50 kW
    DC Charger II: 140 kW

    A public electric vehicle charging station has been set up on site, supplemented by a solar panel system and energy storage to provide greater charging capacity. The available network power is only ~50 kW, while the two DC fast chargers can require up to 190 kW, so even in ideal sunny conditions, a maximum of ~100 kW can be achieved.

    Since expanding the grid capacity would take several years, an energy storage system was installed to supplement the grid's capacity during peak hours. The solar power system operates on a net metering basis, allowing it to feed unlimited amounts of energy back into the grid.

  • Extremely rapid power fluctuations can occur during electric vehicle charging, which is why fast and stable network power measurement is necessary. The system monitors the power supply, the solar panel system, and both chargers with dedicated energy meters, allowing the EMS controller to immediately and accurately calculate a new power reference signal for the energy storage system.

    The EMS not only controls the storage unit, but also dynamically regulates the power of the DC chargers to match the current needs of the car. Coordinated control of the storage unit and chargers ensures very precise and stable regulation, so that the mains supply never exceeds the maximum permissible current.

    If the load reaches or exceeds the available grid capacity, the energy storage system immediately adds power to ensure the required charging capacity.

    Once charging is complete and network capacity is available again, the EMS immediately begins recharging the storage unit, preparing the system for the next peak in demand.

  • The EMS coordinates the operation of the entire charging station, ensuring stable, reliable, and continuous operation even under extreme load conditions. All operational data of the system is available in real time and historically on the cloud-based monitoring interface, allowing for transparent monitoring of the status and performance of the installed infrastructure. Thanks to precise control, the charging point can serve high-power charging needs without expanding the existing network capacity.

PV and energy storage with aggregator control

  • Solar power system: 495 kW
    Energy storage: 300 kW / 710 kWh

    The site features a solar power plant and a three-unit energy storage system, which are coordinated by the Alteneva EMS. The EMS manages all solar and storage controls locally, including feed-in protection and continuous monitoring of operating conditions.

    In addition, the system receives a continuous schedule from a connected aggregator control center, according to which the EMS intelligently optimizes the production-storage-network performance ratio, ensuring stable, controllable, and economical operation.

  • Alteneva EMS continuously monitors the schedule received from the generator and responds immediately to MAVIR's occasional power calls, ensuring fast, accurate, and compliant control. It does all this while fully complying with local control criteria: it manages feedback protection, protects the system status, and prevents critical operating conditions from developing.

    The EMS controls the three energy storage units independently and intelligently. It does not distribute the power demand evenly, but dynamically engages the storage units according to the current load.

    For example, a 160 kW demand is served by three 100 kW units in the form of 100 + 60 kW, while a 250 kW demand is served by a power combination of 100 + 100 + 50 kW. This means that the EMS only activates as many units as are actually needed.

    In the short term, the EMS continuously monitors the load on the storage units and distributes the charging/discharging power so that the units degrade at the same rate, maximizing the system's service life and long-term reliability.

  • Alteneva EMS provides comprehensive schedule tracking and complete local control, eliminating the need for additional external control logic or systems. All connected equipment operates under a single, coordinated control platform.

    Intelligent load balancing between storage units results in higher availability: a given unit is only used when it is actually needed in terms of performance or capacity. In the event of a unit failure, the system does not shut down, but continues to operate at reduced capacity and performance, ensuring continuous operation and service stability.

Arbitration for stock exchange electricity contracts

  • Energy storage: 105 kW / 215 kWh

    There is no solar panel system operating at the site; energy management is provided exclusively by an energy storage system. The aim of the project is to reduce energy costs by applying an arbitrage strategy adjusted to stock market prices: during cheap off-peak periods, the energy storage system is charged, while during high-price peak periods, the previously stored, low-cost energy is fed into the site's internal network by discharging the battery.

    As a result, network consumption decreases significantly during peak periods, thus reducing the energy costs for that period, which leads to direct and easily predictable cost savings.

  • The EMS cloud center automatically queries the Ukrainian power exchange daily for the published electricity prices for the following day and then analyzes the price trends for the 24-hour period based on this information. The system identifies low-cost off-peak periods and high-price peak periods and uses this information to create a new charging and discharging schedule for each day.

    The generated schedule is sent by the EMS center to the local control unit, which controls the operation of the energy storage system accordingly:

    • charges the battery with cheap energy during off-peak hours,

    • During peak hours, it feeds the stored energy into the internal network, reducing the current consumption.

    EMS also continuously ensures that previously stored cheap energy cannot enter the public grid under any circumstances, thus ensuring that the system complies with all grid regulations.

  • The EMS cloud interface allows detailed monitoring of the energy storage system's operation: the diagrams show how much energy the system stored at what price during specific periods , as well as how much profit the arbitrage function generated per hour.

    The system's operation can be fine-tuned: a minimum profit threshold can be set, below which the EMS will not initiate a charging or discharging cycle. This ensures that the degradation resulting from the use of the energy storage system is never greater than the actual financial benefit derived from the cycle in question—thus ensuring that the system always operates within an economical range.