‘Testbench’ project improves quality of measurement results and facilitates comparison
Karlsruher Institut für Technologie (KIT)
More and more photovoltaic systems are equipped with batteries that store power produced during sunshine for later use. Such solar power storage systems enable operators to use a maximum fraction of the solar power produced for own purposes. The more efficient the storage system is, the higher is the economic profit. The “Testbench” project enhances the quality of efficiency measurements for better comparison of battery systems by planners and operators. The collaboration project funded by the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy (BMWi) is carried out by Fraunhofer IEE, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), VDE|DKE, and TÜV Rheinland. Associated partners are AIT, BSW, and BVES.
Photovoltaics directly converts sunlight into electrical energy and, thus, contributes to sustainable power supply. For operators of photovoltaic systems, it is worthwhile using a maximum fraction of the solar power produced for own purposes. This is achieved by applying batteries that store the power generated during sunshine until later use at times at which the photovoltaic power production is zero.
The market for solar power storage systems is growing continuously. In 2018 already was the 100,000th solar power storage system taken into operation in Germany. Such systems are mainly used by private households to increase their own consumption of solar power and their grid independence. “To guarantee economic profit for the operator, efficiency of solar power storage systems is crucial,” explains project head Fabian Niedermeyer from the Fraunhofer Institute for Energy Economics and Energy Systems Technology (IEE). Improving the quality of efficiency measurements of such systems for better comparison by planners and operators is the goal of the recently started “Testbench” project.
The “Testbench” (Test Method to Determine the Efficiency of Solar Power Storage Systems – From Guidelines to Standards) project focuses in particular on the reproducibility and comparability of results measured on the different test benches of the project partners. A ring experiment in the second half of the project will serve to validate improvements and confirm reproducibility of the results of the partners. As the partners play leading roles in the standardization group “Characteristics of Stationary Battery Storage Systems” (AK 371.0.9.) of the German Commission for Electrical, Electronic, and Information Technologies of DIN and VDE (DKE), the results obtained will be incorporated in standardization work. “national standard or VDE application rule would be an important step to further strengthen the market position of German manufacturers,” says Nina Munzke, Head of the Systems Storage and Analysis Group of KIT’s Battery Technology Center. Thanks to the large number of international customers of German manufacturers of solar power storage systems, the results will then also be included in international standards. “This will increase the competitiveness of German manufacturers on international markets,” Munzke says. In addition, workshops are planned for regular exchange with different German and international stakeholders.
Details on the “Testbench” Project
The “Testbench” project started on January 01, 2020 and is scheduled until December 31, 2021. It is funded by the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy. Within the project, the Fraunhofer Institute for Energy Economics and Energy Systems Technology (IEE) in Kassel, together with KIT, the German Commission for Electrical, Electronic, and Information Technologies of DIN and VDE (VDE/DKE), TÜV Rheinland and the associated partners of the Austrian Institute of Technology (AIT), the German Solar Association (BSW), and the German Energy Storage Association (BVES), studies the adaptations and detailing required for the measurement and evaluation rules in the efficiency guidelines to improve the quality of results. The efficiency guidelines standardize characterization of efficiency, standby consumption, and control efficiency of photovoltaic battery systems. The guidelines were developed by the expert group “Effizienzleitfaden” (efficiency guidelines expert group) of BVES and BSW, together with members of different research institutes, test laboratories, and manufacturers of solar power storage systems. To facilitate comparison of various systems using basic methods, reproducibility of the results is indispensable. Preliminary studies, however, revealed that measurements of the same storage systems by different measurement institutes sometimes produce very different results. Moreover, experience shows that framework conditions of measurements still remain to be specified in more detail. In particular, this applies to precision of power and voltage sensors and the scanning rates and period durations used for averaging.
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Fraunhofer Institute for Energy Economics and Energy Systems Technology (IEE)
Fraunhofer IEE in Kassel conducts research for the transformation of energy systems. It develops solutions for technical and economic challenges to further reduce the costs of use of renewable energy sources, to secure supply in spite of volatile power generation, to ensure grid stability on a high level, and to make the energy transition an economic success.
More about the KIT Energy Center: http://www.energie.kit.edu
Few transportation fuels surpass the energy densities of gasoline and diesel
Gaia knows that you can’t beat oil for optimum solar power storage.
I have 50 years experience making electricity. When (most likely never) solar is a good idea I will use it to power my house.
I do own 3 small solar panels since retiring. I maintain the two marine batteries on my sailboat with small harbor freight solar panels because I am not up north in the winter.
I live in a motorhome. It has a 40 watt solar panel to maintain the 4 golf cart (GC2) batteries when in storage.
So using solar to maintain batteries when recreation things are stored off grid is a good idea because properly charged batteries last longer. Making $600 batteries last twice as long is cost effective.
On a daily basis I use 1200 watts of power that require me to run a generator (I have 3) one hour. I estimated 600 watts is lost due inefficiencies of using batteries.
A few who have RV spend upwards of $5,000 to $10,000 on solar and lithium batteries systems to do things that are more practical with fossil fuel.
I understand. I have a sailboat. It is not practical way to get from point A to B. I enjoy getting from Point A back to Point A.
There are practical ways of doing things and hobbies for people who do not have to choose between their medicine and food.
No study is needed. Storing electricty is ineffeicent.
For those who don’t understand the difference between watts and watthours
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kilowatt-hour
My monthly utility bill shows about 220 kWh.
At 720 hours per month, that’s about 305 watts.
Sometime ago there was a post about the extra hazards solar panels present to firefighters.
They can cut the power to a house and so avoid the threat of electrocution but a solar panel on the roof is still producing electricity. Firefighters often have to break through the roof in the process of putting out a fire.
And there is the battery backup to consider in a fire.
Ever buy a battery that didn’t warn against putting it in a fire?
(Or maybe in “Green Utopia” houses never catch fire because a regulation forbids CO2 emissions?)
I am going to submit a proposal for a grant to study the feasibility of installing huge arrays of Moon Panels. This feasibility study will last 10 years and pay all researchers (i.e. me) $1,000,000 per year for my dedication and creativity towards this study. The end result will not be any real working system, but instead a paper describing the original proposal, testing the efficiency of the design, and a final recommendation to perform another 10 years of research.
As soon as this study is complete, I will then move on to Cloud Panels. Then Star panels.
Once all of these are researched, I can build a proposal for a huge Solar/Moon/Cloud/Star solar array that will not need any backup power sources. It will be rated for worst case – that is on a cloudy night when the moon is not up. (i.e. it will be rated to not produce anything useful reliably)
Just a heads up, I don’t want anyone out there trying to steal my future employment opportunities.
You forgot about potato power!
Just replace a couple of your power panels with potato growing boxes!
https://youtu.be/-fvmb4lchnA
Now all we need is a way to replace the potatoes with mushrooms. They can be kept in the dark and fed BS and then, Voila! Green Power!
(Psilocybin mushrooms have the greatest effect on the public.)
What am I missing? This post seems to just be a KIT advertisement which readers use as a vehicle to talk about whatever is on their mind. Where is the information?
We’ve optimized electricity generation and use for over a hundred years. It was relatively inexpensive until ‘they’ tried to improve it with expensive, unreliable, and little tested new technology. Then ‘they’ convinced the people they were causing AGW and this would be better for them using the force of the media and laws to make them comply. When will the people realize they’ve been had by ‘them’?
CORRECTION —
Photovoltaics directly converts sunlight into electrical energy and, thus, contributes to
sustainableUNRELIABLE power supply.Where is the study to turn the neutrons released in Fission Directly into electricity? Immediately gain at least a 100% increase in efficiency by getting 60% of the released energy instead of 30% which is MAX in the steam cycle. And there is another 30% possibility. Then work on conversion of ALL of the fission particles released achieving an order of magnitude more power. Design the reactor to run dry, Un-pressurized and greatly reduce the mechanics of inserting safety control rods and providing the cooling of the shutdown reactor.
Instead of determining how efficient Solar/Battery systems are they should do the simple calculation showing that they NEVER pay back what they cost. Even with government subsidies the home owner is losing money over their lifetime.
The article from Germany sounds better when read with a John Cleese voice, especially the 57 abbreviations for bodies sucking on the public teat but oh! so seriously intent on pushing the message of “You will obey”.
In the several times I have been to Germany I met a few nice people and many tiny dictator minds.
They are collectively a bad mob at the centre of the anti-science demands to kill fossil fuels.
They are not even forgiven for making the BMW, another abbreviation like those that make up most of the article above. RIP.
The Energiewende has proven to be a failure, over and over. Give it up, guys. That name Energiewende is now used far less than before. You can hide things you are ashamed of in the modern post-normal way, but the huge harm still has to be paid for. Do not try to export it to fine countries like mine. For you, like PIK, this war is over. Geoff S
Cold Fusion is just around the corner though
Yeah, outside. But we are inside.
Wasn’t the best one an electric train moving uphill?
We have these installed at our office. Unfortunately we are lucky to get sun here in the UK!
Free quantum point energy is just around the corner