Feature


For instance, the University of Technology Vienna (TU Wien), as building


initiative, renovated former


part of its green its


chemistry building with the goal of becoming the first energy-plus commercial high- rise building. This was a lofty goal as high- rises are particularly challenging for PV to meet energy demand since roof space is limited compared to energy consumption. To overcome this challenge,


innovative


design planning was required, and a building- integrated system was conceived. Leveraging SolarEdge’s design flexibility was fundamental in


increasing system production and size


by allowing the entire building’s surface to be covered in solar modules, while also optimizing each individual panel. At the time of completion, the system was thought to be Austria’s largest Integrated PV site and the direct environmental benefits of the PV system were calculated to be equal to >54,000 kg of CO2


emissions saved, which is


SolarEdge’s design flexibility enabled TU Wien to create what is believed to be the first energy-plus commercial high-rise building


the equivalent of nearly 200 trees planted or nearly 420,000 lightbulbs powered for a day.


Adding solar energy to a building’s energy mix is a crucial aspect in making a building more energy independent; however, it is only the first step. The next step is improving the management of that energy in order to increase self-consumption. This is because energy usage does not always align with the energy generation of a PV system. As such, there are two ways that the energy can be managed to overcome this inconsistency. The first technique is energy storage and the second is consumption shifting.


Energy storage is an essential part of smart energy management as it stores energy when it is produced for consumption at a later time instead of either limiting energy production or feeding it into the grid. With PV plus storage systems, the inverter is responsible for managing battery charge and discharge patterns to meet consumption needs and reduce the amount of power purchased from the grid. The graph below shows how energy storage is able to increase self-consumption and energy independence.


Typical Residential PV Production With Battery


Shifting energy consumption is another form of energy management that can also increase self-consumption. This technique combines the technology of smart buildings with PV energy. By merging these two technologies, smart energy management solutions can automatically use a PV system’s excess power to increase solar energy usage, help lower electricity bills, increase energy independence, and provide greater convenience. Devices and appliances, such as immersion heaters, lighting, fans, and pool pumps, can be controlled by smart energy management solutions that include AC switches with a meter and plug-in sockets with a meter, and dry contact switches. With the immersion heater, excess PV energy can be directed towards water heating, which is a low-cost form of energy storage. While the other devices allow appliances, such as pool pumps, fans, cold-storage, thermostats, and lighting, to be remotely controlled and utilized during high PV production for increased self-consumption.


Typical Residential PV Production and Energy Consumption


In addition to increasing energy independence, smart energy management allows for a simple user experience when combined into one integrated energy management and monitoring platform. This enables a more streamlined smart energy and building management process to reduce operation and maintenance costs. As the technology advances, we will continue to see more opportunities to further integrate it into making buildings more energy efficient. For example, weather and irradiance forecasting integrated into energy management systems can help ensure more efficient planning of building heating, or personalized profiles and thermostat controls that can help increase comfort without additional resources. Combining these types of technology with architectural designs can help our buildings exist in better harmony within their surroundings and environment.


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