SMA Solar Technology AG (SMA) was recognized with the Intersolar AWARD in the "Photovoltaics" category for the SMA Fuel Save Controller at Intersolar Europe 2014 in Munich. As part of the SMA Fuel Save Solution, the SMA Fuel Save Controller allows the integration of high shares of photovoltaics into diesel-powered systems for the first time ever. Even under harsh ambient conditions, it ensures the stable operation of photovoltaic diesel hybrid systems and at the same time reduces operating and maintenance costs. This is already the fourth time that SMA has received the Intersolar AWARD.
"In regions with a weak grid infrastructure, the competitiveness of numerous industrial businesses critically depends on a reliable and cost-effective electricity supply. For the first time ever, the SMA Fuel Save Solution makes it possible to integrate significant shares of solar energy into diesel-powered grids, ensuring stable grid operation at any time," explained Volker Wachenfeld, Senior Vice President Hybrid & Storage at SMA.
In particular sunny regions, such as the Middle East, Sub-Saharan Africa and Southeast Asia that account for more than one-third of annual diesel and gas turbine sales, are a highly promising market for hybrid energy generation systems.
The challenge to ensure grid stability
With low investment costs, to date, diesel generators have been the global standard for supplying electricity to nonelectrified areas or for backing up unstable utility grids. Along with the significant rise in the price of fuel over the last few years, costs of diesel power generation have gone up. With the drop in PV system prices, integrating high shares of solar power allows cost savings to be achieved.
"The payback periods for an investment in a PV diesel hybrid system are extremely short at between three to five years on average. In addition, the system can be subsequently expanded at any time without any problems," said Wachenfeld. Operation and maintenance costs of such large-scale hybrid systems could be significantly reduced and, depending on the system design, up to 450,000 liters of diesel could be saved per year with a 1-MW PV system.
The key technological challenge is to maximize the share of solar power that can be stably integrated into diesel grids by using smart control engineering. The SMA Fuel Save Solution was developed for these applications. In addition to the PV inverters, the other main component of this system technology solution is the SMA Fuel Save Controller, which manages demand-based PV feed-in at the interface between diesel generators, PV systems and loads. The SMA Fuel Save Controller detects the flow of energy through the stand-alone grid and calculates the maximum PV power permitted ensuring continuous system stability and smooth diesel genset management.
Disclaimer:
This press release serves only as information and does not constitute an offer or invitation to subscribe for, acquire, hold or sell any securities of SMA Solar Technology AG (the "Company") or any present or future subsidiary of the Company (together with the Company, the "SMA Group") nor should it form the basis of, or be relied upon in connection with, any contract to purchase or subscribe for any securities in the Company or any member of the SMA Group or commitment whatsoever. Securities may not be offered or sold in the United States of America absent registration or an exemption from registration under the U.S. Securities Act of 1933, as amended.
This press release can contain future-oriented statements. Future-oriented statements are statements which do not describe facts of the past. They also include statements about our assumptions and expectations. These statements are based on plans, estimations and forecasts which the Managing Board of SMA Solar Technology AG (SMA or company) has available at this time. Future-oriented statements are therefore only valid on the day on which they are made. Future-oriented statements by nature contain risks and elements of uncertainty. Various known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors can lead to considerable differences between the actual results, the financial position, the development or the performance of the corporation and the estimates given here. These factors include those which SMA has discussed in published reports. These reports are available on the SMA website at www.SMA.de. The company accepts no obligation whatsoever to update these future-oriented statements or to adjust them to future events or developments.
"In regions with a weak grid infrastructure, the competitiveness of numerous industrial businesses critically depends on a reliable and cost-effective electricity supply. For the first time ever, the SMA Fuel Save Solution makes it possible to integrate significant shares of solar energy into diesel-powered grids, ensuring stable grid operation at any time," explained Volker Wachenfeld, Senior Vice President Hybrid & Storage at SMA.
In particular sunny regions, such as the Middle East, Sub-Saharan Africa and Southeast Asia that account for more than one-third of annual diesel and gas turbine sales, are a highly promising market for hybrid energy generation systems.
The challenge to ensure grid stability
With low investment costs, to date, diesel generators have been the global standard for supplying electricity to nonelectrified areas or for backing up unstable utility grids. Along with the significant rise in the price of fuel over the last few years, costs of diesel power generation have gone up. With the drop in PV system prices, integrating high shares of solar power allows cost savings to be achieved.
"The payback periods for an investment in a PV diesel hybrid system are extremely short at between three to five years on average. In addition, the system can be subsequently expanded at any time without any problems," said Wachenfeld. Operation and maintenance costs of such large-scale hybrid systems could be significantly reduced and, depending on the system design, up to 450,000 liters of diesel could be saved per year with a 1-MW PV system.
The key technological challenge is to maximize the share of solar power that can be stably integrated into diesel grids by using smart control engineering. The SMA Fuel Save Solution was developed for these applications. In addition to the PV inverters, the other main component of this system technology solution is the SMA Fuel Save Controller, which manages demand-based PV feed-in at the interface between diesel generators, PV systems and loads. The SMA Fuel Save Controller detects the flow of energy through the stand-alone grid and calculates the maximum PV power permitted ensuring continuous system stability and smooth diesel genset management.
Disclaimer:
This press release serves only as information and does not constitute an offer or invitation to subscribe for, acquire, hold or sell any securities of SMA Solar Technology AG (the "Company") or any present or future subsidiary of the Company (together with the Company, the "SMA Group") nor should it form the basis of, or be relied upon in connection with, any contract to purchase or subscribe for any securities in the Company or any member of the SMA Group or commitment whatsoever. Securities may not be offered or sold in the United States of America absent registration or an exemption from registration under the U.S. Securities Act of 1933, as amended.
This press release can contain future-oriented statements. Future-oriented statements are statements which do not describe facts of the past. They also include statements about our assumptions and expectations. These statements are based on plans, estimations and forecasts which the Managing Board of SMA Solar Technology AG (SMA or company) has available at this time. Future-oriented statements are therefore only valid on the day on which they are made. Future-oriented statements by nature contain risks and elements of uncertainty. Various known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors can lead to considerable differences between the actual results, the financial position, the development or the performance of the corporation and the estimates given here. These factors include those which SMA has discussed in published reports. These reports are available on the SMA website at www.SMA.de. The company accepts no obligation whatsoever to update these future-oriented statements or to adjust them to future events or developments.
