Intersolar Europe 2016: Great Interest From Visitors And Awards For Sma System Solutions For Cost-Efficient Use Of Photovoltaics
System solutions that pay off: SMA Solar Technology AG (SMA) presented innovative system solutions for all areas of photovoltaics at Intersolar Europe 2016 in Munich. The main focus was on intelligent energy management and storage solutions to optimize self-consumption of self-generated solar power. Particularly strong visitor interest was generated by the storage solution featuring the Sunny Boy Storage battery inverter, which is the first-ever solution to allow high-voltage batteries like the Tesla Powerwall to be efficiently incorporated into PV systems. This innovation also impressed the expert jury, who rewarded SMA with the ees Award. In addition, SMA received the Intersolar Award for the photovoltaic diesel hybrid system complete with storage solution used to provide electricity to the Caribbean island of St. Eustatius. In the utility segment, the SMA booth featured the turnkey medium-voltage solution with 5 MW inverter power for the new generation 1,500V PV power plants.
“Intersolar Europe was a great success for SMA. We are particularly proud of the two awards presented by the Intersolar expert jury,” said SMA’s Chief Technology Officer Jürgen Reinert. “The acknowledgement of our technologies and systems with the renowned Intersolar Award and the ees Award shows that, against the backdrop of changing energy supply structures, SMA is providing the right solutions for intelligent and cost-efficient use of solar energy. This also includes the new SMA Energy Services, which provide precise generation and consumption data for optimum grid integration of solar power, which we also presented at Intersolar.”
Intersolar was the first time that SMA, together with its strategic partner Tigo Energy, presented the smart module technology TS4 developed by Tigo to increase performance and functionality at the module level. For example, the chip-based solution can augment partially shaded PV modules with an optimization function. As a result, the energy yield of the entire PV system can be cost-effectively increased. With previous solutions, every PV module always had to be equipped with an optimizer, whether necessary or not.
Intelligent energy management and storage integration to reduce electricity costs
Most impressive in the field of domestic storage solutions were the Sunny Boy Storage battery inverter for high-voltage batteries like the Tesla Powerwall and the SMA Flexible Storage System featuring the Mercedes-Benz energy storage. Both solutions allow storage solutions to be incorporated simply, cost-effectively and extremely flexibly into both new and existing PV systems.
New Sunny Boy solution with service included
Completely reworked, with a new design and an ultra-modern user interface and the latest in communication standards, SMA presented the new Sunny Boy family of inverters in the 3.0/3.6/4.0/5.0 kW power classes. A particular way in which customers benefit is that SMA also automatically takes on the job of monitoring the inverter, and informs end customers and/or the installer directly about faults and needed maintenance work.
Globally successful Tripower generation also impresses when it comes to integration of storage solutions
In the field of commercial PV systems, SMA showcased the Sunny Tripower inverter, which is used successfully all over the world in medium-sized and decentralized large-scale PV systems. A great deal of interest among commercial visitors was also sparked by solutions featuring Sunny Tripower inverters to reduce operating costs by incorporating an intelligent energy management system including storage integration.
5 megawatt Sunny Central power in a container
Visitors to the SMA booth were able to see the dimensions of the new Medium Voltage Power Station 5000SC-EV for themselves. The MVPS in a single turnkey container—equipped with two Sunny Central 2500SC-EV inverters, a medium-voltage transformer and switchgear in a standard container—provides an output of 5,000 kVA for the latest generation of centralized PV power plants with 1,500V technology. The solution significantly reduces transport, installation and operating costs thanks to its unique power density and compact design.
SMA Operations & Maintenance for a comprehensive service worldwide
In the service segment, SMA presented the global full-service package Operations & Maintenance at its trade fair booth. Customers benefit from complete technical operation services for their large-scale PV power plants. This service covers both the inverters and also the medium-voltage components, modules, racks, all cabling, surrounding vegetation and the system fencing. In addition to continuous remote system monitoring, SMA also offers additional services such as regular maintenance, thermography scans as well as vegetation and dirt control. The benefits include optimum system operation, high profitability and maximum reliability.
