Innovation: Solar and Storage
Innovation: Solar and Storage
Storage technology brings holy grail
for household and business energy Safety and security key to harnessing
Li-ion power for highest standards
Storage technology will drive strong
demand for photovoltaic-generated
electricity as householders seek to reduce
costs by lessening reliance on the grid
while protecting the environment.
Consumers can now generate electricity
during daylight hours for use in the
evening and overnight. Done well, this is
the Holy Grail of household energy.
A November 2016 study by EuPD
Research found 70 per cent of UK
homeowners were unaware of PV storage
solutions. This presents a huge opportunity
for installers to educate and support their
customers on improving household energy
self-reliance and efficiency. Lithium-ion is a powerful technology
and this brings challenges. From the very
start, SOLARWATT has invested heavily in
ensuring its MyReserve battery storage
conforms to the highest safety standards.
The company’s battery manufacturing
centre at Frechen, near Cologne, is led by
leading European experts who held senior
roles at Karlsruhe Institute of Technology
when the prestigious university, working
with the industry, developed its Safety
Guidance for Lithium-ion Storage.
MyReserve’s battery management
system (BMS) is designed to address
several potential problems in Li-ion
technology that might otherwise lead
to short circuit, fire or explosion. These
include overcharging, insufficient voltage,
temperature variations and escaping gases.
High performance
SOLARWATT (www.solarwatt.net),
the German manufacturer of high-
performance dual-glass solar PV panels
and energy storage systems, has been
building a UK and Ireland distribution
network, partnering with expert
distributors and installers.
By integrating components of the highest
quality and most advanced technology,
SOLARWATT aims to reshape the market by
providing households and small firms with
PV + storage packages that are optimised
for long-term electricity production,
maximising self-consumption.
SOLARWATT is Europe’s most experienced
manufacturer of dual-glass modules. The
development of MyReserve batteries has
been led by some of Europe’s foremost
lithium-ion battery experts.
All components are manufactured at the
company’s factories in Germany.
Having adapted its business model in
2012, SOLARWATT is focused on applying
industry-leading knowledge to produce
complete solutions bringing energy
independence to homes and small firms.
The energy storage future is here
SOLARWATT MyReserve is a DC-coupled
storage system fully usable for new
installations and retrofit, designed to
keep PV energy in the home. The battery
12 | www.renewableenergyinstaller.co.uk
All raw materials and components have
been chosen specifically by SOLARWATT
experts for maximum efficiency and safety.
Above: The MyReserve battery storage system
which received the renowned EES Award for
energy storage innovation at Intersolar 2015
and top brand PV Storage 2017 by EUPD
is based on lithium-ion technology and
installed on the DC side directly between
the PV modules and the inverter. With its
unique power electronics, this produces
an extremely high efficiency rate of 96 per
cent at best point.
MyReserve is compatible with all
common PV inverters so can be integrated
into existing systems with no additional
conversion costs. Compact construction
and modular design make for fast, easy
installation by one person as the maximum
weight of any component is under 25KG.
SOLARWATT’s package components to
generate, store and manage energy:
• SOLARWATT long-life dual-glass PV
modules;
• MyReserve, the safest and most efficient
energy storage system, in combination with
the most accurate, high-precision AC sensor;
• Energy Manager, an intelligent software
system that optimises self-consumption
and serves as a smart hub.
High speed = high self-consumption
High speed results in more use of self-
produced energy from the solar panels.
SOLARWATT developed a fast AC sensor
to detect and measure current, voltage
and frequency changes in all three phases.
Built-in 3x168MHz single-core processors
enable the system to respond within 0.7
seconds. This is important as appliances
such as coffee machines and induction
cookers are constantly switching on and
off. A storage system must react fast to
prevent electricity requirements being met
too late or not at all, which would decrease
self-consumption.
Safety and security the key to storage
Li-ion batteries are exceptionally powerful
and their safe operation comes from
vast research and development know-
how. Safety has been foremost at every
development stage. SOLARWATT experts
who developed this technology are
authorities in their own right. Previously,
they led the creation of the Karlsruhe
Institute of Technology Safety Guidelines
for Li-ion, since adopted industry-wide.
Data security is a growing challenge.
MyReserve is cyber-safe, preventing
unauthorised changing of battery
management system settings.
One single reliable source
As all components come from SOLARWATT,
installers and distributors can turn to one
source for both purchase and support, with
complete confidence.
Installation and design partners will
benefit from training and certification,
marketing and communication support
and SOLARWATT branding to ensure they
are equipped to deliver the best possible
options.
So, do you want the most efficient solar
+ storage system, or the safest? Face it –
you want both.
Operates within safe limits
MyReserve’s BMS continuously monitors
and controls temperature, internal cell
resistance and charging current so that the
device operates within safe limits –
or switches off when it does not. Four
ultra-high vacuum relays, acting
independently, effect automatic shut-
down if ever required.
Every individual Li-ion cell is equipped
with sensors to measure key indicators.
The BMS measures 126 variables up to
40,000 times per second and is