Feasibility Of Photovoltaic Systems With Batteries Storage System

The Battery Energy Storage System Is Highly Flexible And Can Be Applied To Various Photovoltaic Systems    

The concept of energy storage is very broad, and energy can be stored in different ways. Diesel tanks, coal stockpiles, and hydroelectric power plant reservoirs are some examples of how energy is stored.

Among the possibilities of energy storage, one that is particularly eye-catching today is the battery. This is because the storage system with battery has great flexibility and can be applied from uninterruptible power supply home use to large-scale power generation parks.

But, after all, why do humans need to store energy?

This has to do with the freedom to be able to consume energy anytime and anywhere. No one wants to deprive themselves of the time to turn on the light bulb or turn on the TV, because there is no energy available now.

With the increasing development of technology and digital society, the availability of electrical energy input plays a leading role in sustainability, productivity, profitability, and quality of life.

Overall, the world is moving in the direction of empowerment, freedom, and decentralization, and these needs are driving the development of the energy storage market.

In this context, in this article, we will discuss how solar solutions combined with  can find feasibility today.

Possible and potentially feasible applications in Brazil-Agriculture

Agribusiness is the locomotive of Brazil's economy. Most farmers are accustomed to investing in technology. Synchronous and GPS-operated harvesters and seeders, as well as increasingly intelligent machines, are some examples of how farmers are investing in technology that adds value and increases productivity. Solar energy is no exception: many manufacturers have placed their bets on photovoltaic systems to promote business development.

The application of a power storage system can bring more benefits to agribusiness. For example, one of the biggest bottlenecks in rural areas, especially for food producers (soybeans, corn, beans, etc.), is rainfall.

Lack of rain can lead to a decline in productivity and even destroy entire crops. One opportunity to create value for producers is to use off-grid (isolated) solar systems with energy storage batteries, for example to power irrigation hubs.

The Brazilian news has reported some cases where rural producers have invested in solar energy solutions combined with battery energy storage systems (BESS). They have doubled their annual crops or significantly increased their productivity and harvested more per hectare.

The calculation to be performed is the ratio of productivity increase to investment. The feasibility study must be carried out with farmers, who can historically estimate the losses caused by lack of rain.

Other less obvious benefits can also be used. For example, to achieve sales in the futures market in the form of higher production predictability, thereby obtaining greater returns.

Another example of battery energy storage system application in this field is the backup system. For example, dairy, poultry, and protein producers generally believe that continuous power consumption is a crucial condition. Power outages for more than a few hours may cause irreparable losses.

Since they are usually connected to the end of long feeders in remote areas, these characteristics have many problems in terms of voltage changes and power outages. These inconsistencies can cause damage, such as the loss of milk stored in the refrigerator, or the death of birds in the case of farms.

The battery backup power supply solution can be implemented using specific equipment, which ensures the isolation of the network when battery power is used. This isolation is usually ensured by opening a transfer switch. The system operates on an island and is completely independent of the power grid.

When the grid is re-powered, the system starts to run in parallel with the grid without battery power.

The application of battery energy storage systems for irrigation or backup can also be implemented with diesel generators. In these cases, the diesel generator operates as an AC grid former, allowing the use of traditional photovoltaic inverters.

Therefore, it is necessary to use a specific controller to control solar energy production based on energy consumption and the operation of diesel generators. These controllers already exist on the market today and have been used in projects.

Some photovoltaic inverter manufacturers also have controller solutions. Other inverter manufacturers have built-in controllers, just connect and set them correctly.

Residential Energy Storage Solutions

There are also some interesting storage solutions for residential applications, such as battery backup systems, uninterruptible power supply for home use, and uninterruptible power supply whole house. It is not uncommon for people to hope that energy supply interruptions will not affect their lifestyle habits. They want their appliances, lighting systems, and electronic equipment to continue to operate, whether for reasons of necessity or comfort.

Off-grid battery storage systems are also suitable for households, especially if they are located in remote areas (such as islands and riverside communities). It can be said to be a classic application case of an off-grid battery storage system, which consists of a charge controller, a storage battery, and a DC/AC inverter.

In these cases, the calculation of returns is not a decisive factor in most cases, because it is difficult to realize the value of comfort, because of the convenience of being able to have energy at any time, or simply because of the availability of energy. The simple fact of obtaining electricity with a reasonable investment is itself the main reason.

Microgrid Battery Storage

The application of the microgrid solution also demonstrates the benefits of battery storage. The consumption categories include: industry, supermarkets, shopping centers and hospitals. They are characterized by consuming energy at medium pressure (MT).

Many of these consumers have microgrid battery energy storage systems as a backup, and they will start to operate when there is a power outage. In addition, the energy stored in these batteries is ultimately used to generate electricity during so-called peak hours. These consumers pay different prices for energy consumed during peak hours (HP) and off-peak hours (HFP).

The cost of this difference on HP may be 4 times that of HFP. HP's high cost, although it may seem unbelievable, it is possible to use microgrid battery storage. This is what many companies do, that is, they disconnect from the grid and start using microgrid battery storage on HP to power themselves. More BSLBATT Microgrid Business Case.

Among consumers who have high demands on HP, solar systems with battery energy storage can work together, and can even replace diesel generators to provide cheaper, cleaner and more sustainable energy alternatives. Battery pollution is small, no noise, and the use of lithium-ion battery storage system can have a longer life!

In addition, as long as they are of the right size and equipped with good equipment, lithium battery storage systems require less maintenance and do not need to fill up the fuel tank.

Another possibility of the microgrid business model is the application of peak shaving. But what is this actually?

Differences in Battery Storage Solutions

Compared with the traditional grid-connected photovoltaic solar power plant design, the photovoltaic battery power supply system requires additional design considerations and calculations, some of which are not entirely obvious.

From a financial analysis point of view, photovoltaic storage systems need a better overall understanding, taking into account broader and often difficult to quantify benefits. This requires more preparation and negotiation skills. The benefits of warehousing may not be so obvious and usually require a strong customer approach.

In order to use these solutions, microgrid companies need more training and understanding of available technologies than ever before.

Commercial consumers pay for the electricity demand stipulated in the contract. The contract demand is determined based on the consumer's instantaneous power consumption level. That is, if consumers have loads or devices that can operate simultaneously at a given moment, the sum of their power will determine the amount of kilowatts (kW) contracted from the network.

When the consumption is high, the power required by the network may be higher than the contracted demand of the device, which may result in fines for exceeding the demand.

Battery packs can reduce the connected load seen by utilities, resulting in considerable savings when peak loads exceed contractual requirements, freeing consumers from paying fines for excess demand.

As a battery storage company, BSLBATT can provide customers with solutions such as hybrid microgrids and utility-scale energy storage systems to minimize power generation costs and provide reliable power in remote areas or reduce electricity bills for businesses and industries.