PHAM NEWS | SEPTEMBER 2024 28 Renewable Energy


Maximising returns on solar and batteries


With installations of solar PV and battery storage booming, how can they be made to work together more effi ciently? Dr Ivan Castro from Levelise highlights the benefi ts of a control system that aligns with energy time-of-use tariff s to generate revenue streams.


T


he UK is experiencing a second rooftop solar boom – and household battery storage is starting to follow. As of the end of June, there were 1,595,916 solar photovoltaic installations in the


UK, according to latest government data – and 1,404,430 of them are domestic systems. Over the last 18 months, there has been a surge


in households installing solar PV. Installations in 2023 were a third higher than in 2022, according to MCS fi gures, and 2023 was also a record year for the number of domestic heat pumps installed, according to the standards body. Meanwhile, household battery storage installations


are also taking off . MCS recorded 5,000 domestic storage schemes in 2023. This year installations have topped 1,000 a month after the government broadened VAT relief as of February this year – meaning zero per cent VAT for storage installed with solar PV as well as standalone battery systems.


PHAM – AD – SEP - OFTEC_PHAM 23/08/2024 13:45 Page 1


Dr Ivan Castro Levelise operations director


All of which presents a signifi cant


and growing opportunity for installers, because there are 1.4m households with PV that could make better use of their free energy with a battery, reduce energy bills and save carbon. Battery storage systems can also generate income by helping to balance the energy system – and as heating and transport are increasingly electrifi ed, through heat pumps and electric vehicles – the requirement for smarter, more fl exible energy assets is increasing. Meanwhile, energy suppliers are


moving towards universal time- of-use (ToU) tariff s, which mean households will be charged diff erent rates at diff erent times.


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Demand for heat pumps is growing, so now is the perfect time to take full advantage with OFTEC’s heat pump training courses.


Scopes of registration:


• OFT21-504A - Installation, commissioning and servicing of air source heat pumps.


• OFT21-504G - Installation, commissioning and servicing of ground source heat pumps.


• OFT21-504D - Design of heat pump systems.


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www.oftec.org


Higher returns The key to maximising value – and returns – is optimising combined PV and storage systems so that they best align with ToU tariff s, charging at cheaper off peak times (or free via solar PV) and discharging when power is expensive, i.e. the evening peak. Which is where the Levelise


Hub plays a key role. It’s an intelligent management system that optimises how the solar PV and battery storage systems interact, extracting maximum value from every kilowatt-hour. Advanced algorithms monitor PV energy production, battery storage levels and household consumption patterns in real time. By intelligently scheduling battery


charging and discharging – shifting consumption to the battery at peak times – the Levelise Hub can make signifi cant reductions to energy bills. It means households can store free, clean solar power for when it’s actually needed. It also lowers carbon emissions in the process and householders stay in control with all the info they need – consumption and savings – accessed via an easy- to-use app. The Levelise Hub therefore makes


households less reliant on the grid – and far less exposed to energy price fl uctuations, which are becoming more pronounced in a power system increasingly dominated by renewable generation. That’s because when there is a lot of wind and solar power being generated, power prices fall. But when there is high demand and low renewables generation, prices


– and CO2 emissions as gas-fi red power stations are called into action – increase.


In the balance Energy volatility is actually an opportunity for households with solar PV and battery storage – because they can get paid to help balance the energy system with clean power. Backed by BUUK Infrastructure, we


have built a Virtual Power Plant that currently combines more than 5,000 residential battery assets, including solar PV-connected battery storage systems and hot water tanks. The Virtual Power Plant aggregates all of those assets to create a reliable source of fl exible power, enabling us to provide grid balancing services to National Grid and local grid operators, while also enabling trading of power on the wholesale and balancing markets. The hub is the route into that


Virtual Power Plant. It builds up a detailed profi le of how the household usually uses energy and will always determine the best option, giving the customer either the lowest prices to use power, or the best price for the fl exibility their battery can provide. We then share the rewards – more


than £1.55 million to date – with most customers so far receiving more than £420 in return. Levelise’s customers and technology have also saved more than 15,218 tonnes of CO2e to date, the equivalent of taking 3,386 cars off the road.


Longer life In addition, the Levelise Hub helps extend battery life – because the battery is constantly being monitored and managed, and our technology can make batteries up to 60% more effi cient. More effi cient batteries mean more energy to store and trade, which enables higher returns for longer. The Levelise Hub compatibility


roadmap goes beyond batteries and hot water tanks, with heat pumps, smart appliances and electric vehicles coming soon. All of which means faster return


on investment for low carbon technologies, lower bills for households, a more secure and stable energy system and a cleaner, faster and fairer transition to net zero. ◼ phamnews.co.uk/924/35


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