Specialized Solar Systems recently installed a 19.8 kWp 30kVA 85kWh 3 Phase Hybrid Home Solar System in Plettenberg Bay.
Components:
- 4 x DC combiner boxes with DC fuses and breakers
- 4 x Victron 150/100 Tr Smart solar MPPT’s
- 3 x Victron 10kVA Quatro inverter/chargers 10 000 140-100/100 230V VE.Bus (30kVA 3 phase – 10kVA per phase)
- DC bus +ve 1000A, -ve 1000A
- Victron Colour Control
- Communications hub
- 1 x 60/42 Freedom Won lite business high power LiFePO4 battery
- DC DB developed by Specialized Solar Systems
- AC distribution board with split of essential and non-essential loads to the property.
Some information on the installation:
6 x DC combiner protection boxes were installed below the PV array, 4 for use (15 x 330 watt PV modules per combiner) and 2 spare that were put in place for future expansion of the solar array.
The available roof for the PV solar array was separate to the specially constructed room used to house the solar DC equipment and the AC DB Box. Trenching and conduits needed to be put in place for the DC cables.
Specialized Solar Systems was also contracted to supply and install several of the AC cables to connect the plant room to the other buildings on the property. The total length of the AC cabling amounted to 530m.
Co-ordination between Specialized Solar Systems, the main contractor, and at times up to 14 sub-contractors, had to be carefully managed to ensure continuity, no damage to existing services, and a exquisitely laid landscaped garden with several water features.
Due to the location challenges, Specialized Solar Systems had to devise and manufacture a rigging device to safetly off-load and securely place the large 750kg Freedom Won battery – adhering to all safety regulations on site.
The greatest difficulty was the co-ordination of works and adhering to schedules between ourselves, Specialized Solar Systems, the project manager, the main contractor and the many other sub-contractors.
In order to do this Specialized Solar Systems had to split-up the installation by completing 8 different site working periods in order to complete the project.
Specialized Solar Systems had to re-configure the solar PV array in order to improve the efficiency and to fit aesthetically on the roof provided for the solar array installation.
Specialized Solar Systems was also contracted to provide the design, supply and install the AC DB Box (built by George Switchboards). The AC DB box was designed and manufactured as a split DB Box with “essential” and “non-essential” loads. with the 3 phase Victron solar PV supplying power to the “essential” loads. The home automation system is connected and supplied through the “essential” loads.
The solar system is considered completed for this initial phase 1. The owner of the property may consider advancing the system to phase 2 by incorporating an external 3 phase power generator, extending the solar array by a further 10kWp of PV solar panels and possibly an additional 60/42 Freedom won LiFePO4 battery for additional storage.
Some key advantages of Hybrid solar systems supplied and installed by Specialized Solar Systems:
- If the power generated by PV solar arrays is inadequate to supply daytime loads as well as charge your batteries, the system can recharge your batteries from the grid when generally a lower off-peak electricity rate is applied.
- When electricity usage goes above a certain level nationally, the grid supply may charge you at a higher rate for the increased level of demand. Hybrid systems can provide ‘peak lopping’ where some of the stored power can be drawn from the batteries to help balance power usage.
- If your grid connection does not have the capacity to supply a required load, a hybrid solar system will supplement any extra power. This may allow you to avoid a costly mains upgrade to your property.
Hybrid solar systems empower you with energy security, self-sufficiency, and lock in your future cost of electricity, control when you use your solar power and provide an uninterrupted power supply.
Background: Specialized Solar Systems Grid-Interactive Hybrid Solar Systems
The utility grid is a virtual battery
Electricity should be used as it is generated. However, it can be temporarily stored as other forms of energy (e.g. chemical energy in batteries). Energy storage typically comes with significant costs.
The electric power grid is in many ways also a battery, without the need for maintenance or replacements, and with much better efficiency rates. In other words, more electricity (and more money) goes to waste with conventional battery systems.
Additional perks of being grid-tied include access to backup power from the utility grid in case extra power is required or if your solar system stops generating electricity for any reason. At the same time, you also help to mitigate the utility’s peak load.
Customers can contact Specialized Solar Systems for more information on purchasing a Grid-Tied solar system and for expert advice when choosing the correct solar system solution for all their electrical energy needs.
To view a more detailed overview of our residential grid-interactive hybrid solar systems section in our catalog available over here.
Below are selections of our most popular and highly recommended quality residential grid-interactive hybrid solar energy systems with different sizing options designed by Specialized Solar Systems. This selection will give our customers an overview of all the quality equipment used with detailed explanations to help assist you with your solar energy generation planning.
To view more information about our residential off-grid solar systems please follow this link, catalog available over here.
Below are selections of our most popular and highly recommended residential off-grid solar powered energy systems with different sizing options designed by Specialized Solar Systems. This selection of off-grid solar systems will give our customers an overview of all the quality equipment used with explanations to help assist you with your off-grid solar energy generation planning.
Feeding-in to the Municipal Grid information (Western Cape, South Africa)
Many municipalities across the Western Cape already have the rules and tariffs in place for feeding into the grid when installing a PV system.