Meteocontrol, a company in energy monitoring systems, and VARTA Storage GmbH, which belongs to the VARTA Micro Group and is a specialist in intermediate battery energy storage, have announced their cooperation. The aim of the partnership is to combine a highly efficient storage solution with an intelligent photovoltaic monitoring system.
With their product developments both companies have already been responding to the growing importance of energy management in the home. The WEB’log Comfort monitoring system allows on-site energy consumption to be increased through intelligent consumption control and the integration of solar power forecasts. VARTA Storage has developed the Engion Family lithium-ion storage battery for energy storage. The generated solar power can be stored using the powerful battery modules and delivered again when required. The complete Engion Family system is suitable for any solar system – whether it's a new system or a retrofit. The three-phase system is easy to install in any home thanks to a sophisticated system with intelligent energy management system and an inverter. It can be expanded without any difficulty in increments of 0.5 kWh from 3.7 kWh to 13.8 kWh. Thanks to its modular design, the Engion Family can be adapted to suit individual energy consumption and the size of the respective PV system.
"This cooperation with one of the leading companies in the field of intermediate energy storage will also produce further interesting developments in the future. For example, the storage cycle can be optimized through the link with solar power forecasts", explains Martin Schneider, Managing Director of meteocontrol. Dr. Alexander Hirnet, Technical Manager at VARTA Storage GmbH, is convinced: "Integrating this accurate consumption control into our Engion Family battery management system will make private homes with PV systems even less dependent on power from energy suppliers and on their pricing". Power is fed in in accordance with the 60% rule. Any energy produced above that can be consumed or stored. The system from meteocontrol and VARTA Storage meets the requirements of the 60%+ rule. Owners of small PV systems are therefore eligible for funding from the KfW Renewable Energies Program 275 for battery storage applicable in Germany.