With each generation of solar technology comes new ways to create, store and use your very own renewable energy. As electric cars become more popular, solar power becomes the logical choice to reduce running costs and reduce contribution to green house gas emissions.
Based on a quiet street in a suburban Melbourne, the owner of this home approached EnviroGroup wanting:
- To produce enough solar energy to power two plug-in electric cars; a Telsa Model S & Nissan Leaf
- To be able to store any solar energy produced in the day to use later at night if required
- To gain partial independence from the electricity grid and the security of back up power during power outages
The brief was made challenging by a complex roof design and shading issues by a neighbouring gum tree. EnviroGroup was able to design, supply and install a solution that fit the brief while using some of the latest solar and battery technology available.
Grid Connected Solar Power System
The charging requirements of both electric cars ensured that a larger than average solar power system would be needed. A high energy yield Yingli Panda solar panel using advanced N-Type cell technology was chosen to gain the maximum solar energy from the available roof space. These solar panels were matched with Generation 4 Enphase M250 micro inverters to best suit the many different roof angles and shading at different times of the day. The Enphase Enlighten online monitoring software then provides real time feedback about the performance of the system to both the home owner and EnviroGroup ntechnical support.
Hybrid Battery Storage System
The battery storage system faced two design challenges. Firstly, one of the electric car chargers could draw significant amounts of electricity very quickly. Special high performance Sonnenschien Lithium batteries were chosen to provide fast discharging and long battery life. Secondly the battery inverters also had to withstand these high currents and over 3 separate phases. The Selectronic SP Pro was chosen as it has one of the highest known load capacities and a reputation for reliability.
