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An autonomous photovoltaic installation that is not dependent on the public power grid is called an off-grid system. In installations of this type, instead of returning energy to the grid, it is used to charge the batteries. They store the energy generated by solar panels, from where it goes directly or after conversion into alternating current to electrical appliances. Off-grid systems are mainly used in areas where there is no or difficult access to the public power grid.
These installations are usually equipped with an additional generator, which during unfavorable weather is a kind of protection for the autonomy of the installation.

Over time, it may turn out that it is necessary to expand the existing photovoltaic installation.
This could be due to the increased energy demand of the home, or simply a larger budget becomes available, which would make us want to increase the capabilities of our system.

On-grid installations – the development of the system will involve the addition of more panels and the possible replacement of the inverter with a higher power counterpart. There are no contraindications to perform this type of modification, but remember to match the previously used components with the new ones in accordance with the manufacturer’s recommendations.

Off-grid and hybrid installations – the development of the system, in addition to the above-mentioned, will also involve supplementing the system with additional batteries. Lead-acid batteries (GEL, AGM, etc.) – it is not recommended to add newer units after a certain period of life (older units will significantly limit the capabilities of newer ones). However, it is possible to completely replace the batteries with a larger number of pieces or with batteries with a higher capacity. Lithium-ion batteries – here, depending on the manufacturer’s recommendations, it is possible to add more units over time without loss of performance (or with minimal loss of performance)

There are three types of photovoltaic installations – you can create an on-grid system, completely disconnect from the grid (off-grid) or create a hybrid system. A hybrid installation is when we have a connection to an external power grid, as well as our own battery system to store excess energy. The solar energy absorbed by the solar panels passes through the inverter to produce usable electricity. From there, the electricity goes to household loads, batteries or the grid. The advantage of a hybrid solar system is that we will have power regardless of the operation of the power grid. In the vast majority of cases, the system works as follows:

During the day, when the panels produce energy:
– current household consumers are powered as a priority, – surplus energy production from photovoltaic panels is directed to batteries,
– When the batteries are fully charged, further surplus production is directed to the power grid. After sunset or on cloudy days: – the energy stored in the batteries is used to power household appliances,
– When the discharge point is reached (complete or up to a certain level to maintain an energy reserve in the event of a grid power outage), the system switches to grid power until the PV production is able to cover the current demand.

A well-chosen off-grid system can be treated in the same way as an on-grid system.
The size and power of the entire system (PV system), as well as the efficiency and capacity of the batteries are important here. An off-grid system can power basic household loads, such as:
–lighting
–refrigerator
–computer
–smartphone
–television
–oven
–microwave
–kettle
–alarm
–heating
– furnace controller,
– circulation pump, and many others. So there are no differences between an off-grid and an on-grid installation, provided that it has been properly designed for individual needs.

Lead-acid batteries (GEL, AGM, etc.) can be successfully replaced with lithium-ion batteries. A number of advantages that modern lithium batteries bring have made them an increasingly popular solution for users of off-grid systems, motorhomes, boats, etc.

When considering replacing an existing battery system made up of lead-acid units with lithium-ion units, there are a few things to consider. Although the term “drop-in replacement” is often used in this case, in reality it is never that simple. In order to use the full potential of lithium-ion batteries, the operating conditions recommended by the manufacturer must be maintained.

This refers to the charging and discharging parameters characteristic of a given type of battery. In addition, it is important to choose the right replacement units, because the usable capacity of a lithium-ion battery is usually much higher than that of an acid-based battery. This allows the use of units with lower capacity, which will ultimately allow the same amount of energy to be stored as larger lead-acid batteries.

Creating relatively small energy storage:
By using scalable units, it is possible to create systems that are perfectly tailored to the demand. There is no need to invest in large energy storage facilities from the very beginning

Capacity Expansion Over Time:
By using scalable units, you have the ability to increase storage capacity over time.
As the energy demand increases, the system can be supplemented with additional modules.

Safety:
The 48V direct current (DC) voltage is a safe voltage, which means that it does not pose a threat to the
human life and health in the event of unintentional contact.

Possibility of expanding the system with additional energy sources:
Low-voltage systems can be easily adapted to additional energy sources such as wind turbines in the future. Thanks to this, we can develop the system without large amounts of work and costs.

Self-assembly:
There is no need to hire specialized electricians to install low-voltage systems. You can successfully develop the system yourself.

System reliability:
The failure of one module or cell does not disconnect the entire system. If you notice a loss of storage capacity, you only need to replace one module, and the system continues to work during the failure.

Application of different types of batteries:
Systems up to 48V can be created from lithium-ion, hybrid (a combination of lithium-ion and lead-acid) or lead-acid batteries. Depending on your needs, you can compose a system that is perfectly tailored to your needs. This gives you a lot of freedom and does not limit you to using only the products specified by the inverter manufacturer.

A photovoltaic installation consists of the following three main components:

1) Solar panels:
Simply put, solar panels convert solar energy into electricity.
A photon (the minimum unit of light) falling on the silicon wafers from which the cells of photovoltaic panels are built, knocks electrons out of the atoms, generating a flow of electricity.

2) MPPT charge controllers:
They are responsible for managing the amount of energy transferred to the inverter (or energy storage/battery). Their task is to extract the maximum available power from the PV modules by allowing them to operate at the most efficient voltage (Maximum Power Point).
Typically, MPPT controllers are integrated into the inverter and placed inside a single enclosure.

3) Inverters:
A solar inverter converts direct current (DC) from photovoltaic panels into alternating current at a grid frequency (AC), which is supplied to household loads or the power grid.

The most common problem that causes a photovoltaic installation to not return energy to the grid is too high voltage in it. If there are a large number of photovoltaic installations in the area,
During periods of strong sunlight, problems with overflowing the power grid will occur more and more often. This is related to the surplus of production in relation to the energy consumed at each phase. If the 253V limit at the phase is exceeded, the PV inverter must limit the
production and stop exporting energy. When connecting a prosumer installation, the plant
requires that the inverter connected to the grid meets certain criteria. One of them is the automatic disconnection of the prosumer installation if the grid voltage exceeds the aforementioned 253V. Until recently, the number of cases of such disconnection of PV systems in Poland was quite negligible, but due to the huge number of connected prosumer installations, this problem occurs more and more places in Poland.

A way to ensure continuous, uninterrupted operation of a photovoltaic system throughout the year is to use energy storage systems and hybrid installations. Thanks to this, our home power plant becomes a unit less dependent on external factors and we can fully use its potential. In addition, we get additional features such as increased self-consumption and backup power (in case of a power outage in the power grid).

Grid-connected PV systems must legally be shut down if there is a power outage in the power grid. This is due to the safety requirements for service technicians working on the power grid infrastructure. They must be able to do this safely, without solar energy reaching the grid while maintaining and repairing grid components. The electricity produced, if fed back to the power line, can pose a risk to service personnel. Therefore, when there is a power outage, you will be without power even though your installation could still produce energy. The photovoltaic system will automatically turn on when the energy returns to the grid. However, if a hybrid inverter is connected to the solar system, then depending on the configuration, the installation may switch to island operation (off-grid),
and the loads in the home can still be powered by the energy stored in the batteries.
Hybrid systems are becoming more and more popular due to the large number of benefits they bring.

Higher investment cost compared to on-grid installations:
Batteries are an inseparable element of off-grid installations. Modern technology has significantly reduced the costs of their production, but they will still account for about 50% of the total investment cost.

The need to oversize renewable energy installations:
Due to the randomness of the occurrence of renewable sources (solar and wind energy), it is necessary to oversize them in order to ensure sufficient energy on days with limited production capacity.

No possibility to store any amount of energy:
For an individual prosumer, it can be assumed that the power grid is an energy storage with an infinite capacity. In the case of off-grid installations, on the other hand, it is possible to store an amount of energy not greater than the nominal capacity of the batteries used.

The need to replace batteries over a period of several to several years:
Each type of battery will gradually degrade over time. In the case of lead-acid batteries (GEL, AGM, etc.), the shelf life varies from 1-4 years, depending on the operating parameters. Lithium-ion batteries, depending on the technology in which they were manufactured, can work in a photovoltaic system for up to 10 years.

The heart of off-grid installations are batteries. It is in them that the energy generated by the installed photovoltaic panels is stored. In the case of off-grid systems, it is necessary to use special inverters with charge controllers that have battery outputs. The energy from the panels is converted by a solar charge controller and then directed to the battery. The inverter, whose task is to convert direct current into alternating current, draws energy from the battery and PV to power the loads. This means that the system is fully independent and can be used wherever the power grid is not available. In Poland, as it is difficult to predict the weather condition, supplementary devices such as small wind turbines or power generators are often included.

The English word “grid” means “grid” and refers to the public electricity grid. “Off-grid” refers to operation without the grid, i.e. when the system is autonomous. An off-grid system means completely disconnecting your home from the national power grid and relying solely on energy produced from sources such as photovoltaics, wind turbines, a diesel generator, etc. For typical photovoltaic or wind installations
On-grid, the system is connected to the power grid, where surplus production is returned.
In off-grid, on the other hand, the energy produced is stored in batteries, which are a buffer for the house for the sunless / windless period. This allows you to become independent of the distribution network and supply energy to facilities located in hard-to-reach places. Installations of this type are also used in places where the power grid is characterized by frequent power outages or it is not possible to return surplus production to it due to network overflow.

Uninterruptible power supply:
Off-grid systems are not dependent on external systems. For the user, this means that when the power grid has a failure, we can enjoy a fully functional own installation.

No electricity charges:
By cutting off from the power grid, there is no need to pay fixed contributions to the power grid. This reduces the fees associated with the use of electricity to zero.

Easy Installation:
You do not need qualified fitters to set up an off-grid installation. The system can be successfully installed by yourself with basic tools. This reduces the total investment cost quite significantly.

Access to electricity where there is no power grid or where it is highly unreliable:
Wherever there are problems with electricity or there is no electricity at all, off-grid systems provide
constant access to electricity.

Clean energy and environmental protection:
A significant part of the energy in the Polish power grid comes from non-renewable energy sources. By using a photovoltaic or wind installation, we reduce the carbon footprint that would arise when using conventional energy sources.

Uninterrupted production of the photovoltaic system:
Due to the inadequacy of the energy infrastructure in Poland for the increasing number of photovoltaic installations, their capabilities are significantly limited. In some regions of Polish, the grid is overcrowded, so the voltage in it is increasing and production from photovoltaic installations is not accepted. In an off-grid system with energy storage, all production does not go through the grid – it is used for own needs. This maximizes the yields from your own plant

The main difference between these two types of installations is the dependence on the energy company. While on-grid installations cannot function without being integrated into the power grid, off-grid systems can function completely autonomously. This opens the way to a number of applications, m.in. on plots, boats, in summer houses, motorhomes, etc. Connection to an external power system is an option in this case, not a necessity.

The usable capacity of the battery depends on the technology in which it was made. It is the product of its total capacity and the depth of discharge recommended by the manufacturer. Two types of batteries are most commonly used in off-grid systems:
– lead-acid – manufacturers recommend a depth of discharge (DoD) of 30 – 50%. Considering a 12V 120Ah battery with a total capacity of approx. 1440Wh, its useful power will be in the range of 432 to 720Wh.

– lithium-ion – manufacturers recommend a depth of discharge (DoD) of 70 – 90%. Considering a 12 V 120 Ah battery with a total capacity of approx. 1440 Wh, its useful power will be in the range of 1008 to 1296 Wh.

Important parameters when selecting batteries are also:
– number of cycles depending on the depth of discharge,
– capacity depending on discharge currents,
– capacity depending on the ambient temperature.

The current situation on the domestic energy market constantly poses a number of challenges to the consumer, which very often result in an increase in purchase costs and low efficiency in the exploitation of resources. Due to the armed conflict in Eastern Europe, as well as the derivatives of the fading pandemic, electricity prices have maintained routinely high levels. As a consequence, this situation imposes on suppliers frequent restrictions on the emission of funds necessary to power private and public facilities. However, you can prevent this while enjoying a non-invasive and practical power source, converted directly from a highly energy-efficient, natural raw material.

A photovoltaic installation system is a solution that goes beyond traditional, usually expensive and highly exhaustible methods of obtaining energy (natural gas, hard coal, etc.). The principle of its operation is based on the practical application of devices that act as generators of solar energy, the resources of which are converted into very valuable, usable units of electricity. The energy supply, using the operating schemes of modern photovoltaic technology, is facilitated by maintenance-free, easy-to-install and, above all, highly efficient solar panels. By equipping the house with working structures of photovoltaic panels, each owner of a power grid installation ensures constant access to profitable resources of an environmentally friendly nature, without the need for manual configuration or installation of stationary emission points.

Do you use the resources of the produced energy with any power solution? Install your own energy storage to help you reduce the use of non-renewable sources such as gas or coal. With the help of energy-saving electric energy storage motors, the base service station can store significant amounts of produced seams, and you can easily use the subsequent surplus energy during periods of high exploitation of the selected fuel. Electricity production – based on a safe and effective photovoltaic system – allows you to protect the building against any difficulties due to the emission of limited fuel resources, especially during periods of high demand, unforeseen failures or technical delays.

Are you wondering if an electricity storage system will also work in your home? Or maybe you have doubts about its installation in close proximity to photovoltaic panels? By choosing an energy storage system for home photovoltaic system users, you have the opportunity to implement a safe and reliable system that is based on proven Plug & Play technology. This factor means that its installation requires an absolute minimum of effort with little assistance from the technical operator. What is more, at the stage of installing the energy storage, it is also not necessary to interfere more deeply with the network of devices of your configuration, in particular the main meter or grid inverter. It is best to make the appropriate connection of the energy storage with the support of a trusted installer who will clearly and factually explain the necessary issues and, if necessary, optimally adjust the voltage.

Electricity consumption is uneven, bringing literally every period smaller or larger changes in the use of generated resources, which has a significant impact on the demand and supply of heating services, as well as the value of bills for all energy goods. In the case of a photovoltaic installation. You do not have to worry about any building permit and, above all, the need to set up and register a business. With any type of electricity installation, you can be sure that the amount of energy stored will not be lost, and your storage will maintain maximum efficiency and efficiency. So remember that the key role in the process of securing energy for later is played by the storage capacity, which you can easily charge with devices based on the operation of the byd battery system.

Bearing in mind the home use of an installation based on renewable energy sources, opt for an on-grid photovoltaic system. Thanks to advanced technology in the field of power engineering, you will combine the usual consumption of electricity with its original production, becoming a prosumer of a home private-public power supply center. With the help of an existing photovoltaic system, you can quickly and efficiently transfer unnecessary surplus energy production, without the need to use a device such as an energy accumulator. The working decks of a home photovoltaic energy storage have more power than the base raw material for supplying the public grid (electricity), as a result of which it is the photovoltaic installation system that is the first power generator. Thanks to the energy storage, you can provide yourself with reserve resources in the event of difficult random events, such as a systemic failure of the local power grid or delays in supplies from the power plant, without leaving your home.

Are you wondering how to obtain periodic surpluses of electricity using the home grid, where photovoltaics are also used? Invest in reliable energy storage systems from Breeze Energies, preferably powered by lithium-ion batteries. Battery energy storage in this category is an improved alternative to much heavier items (lead-acid), which, with the same capacity, can operate without failures for up to 10 years. Energy storage is a business and technological step into the future, because a relatively longer service life and better operating parameters, due to a more expensive investment, pay for themselves in the long term. In addition, lithium-ion energy storage systems do not require specialized inspections, frequent maintenance or factory storage conditions, so you can use them without any problems.

Are you interested in storing energy in an area with relatively high sunshine during the year? Choose modern Breeze hybrid energy storage, created by combining two dedicated varieties (lead-acid and lithium-ion), recommended for emergency power supply. This combination of the two advantages of common energy storage technologies allows for a significant reduction in production costs while maintaining maximum efficiency. The system’s end-to-end operation is evident during both daily cycles and longer periods of energy conservation, so you don’t have to worry about supply shortages or sudden plant failures.

Energy storage is associated with quite a serious expense, as the price of a single storage oscillates between PLN 20 and 60 thousand. At the lower end of the price, a model for home use (5 kWh) is usually offered. The most expensive are the advanced versions (20 kWh), ideally suited to much larger areas, widely used for the needs of company facilities or industrial facilities. When deciding to buy and install such a solution, remember that the final price of the energy storage also includes practical installation and the value of materials. In the case of emergency power connection, additional activities (e.g. rearrangement of the installation, separation of circuits) and spare equipment (island disconnector, etc.).

Would you like to obtain an electricity storage facility without covering the total value of the costs? In this case, an application for a subsidy under the nationwide My Electricity program can help, where you can receive discounts for the implementation of the investment of your choice. They include not only the purchase of a professional warehouse (up to 50% of the costs), but also the installation of a photovoltaic installation (up to 50% of the costs) or the installation of EMS devices (including meters and controllers). Don’t forget about periodic inspections, and for greater smoothness, opt for service with one charging cycle per day. If you want your installation to maintain excellent performance for many years, hire a valued and experienced installer.