PV Battery System Tested with Real-Life Consumption Data

31st European Photovoltaic Solar Energy Conference and Exhibition; 2686-2689
With a decrease in feed-in tariffs for photovoltaic (PV) systems in Europe and a decrease in the cost of Li-ion batteries, PV battery systems for increased self-consumption are becoming of increasing interest. A 4.8 kWh PV battery system with lithium iron phosphate (LiFePO4) batteries was designed. The battery pack was installed with the commercially available LiTHIUM BALANCE A/S battery management system that manages the battery cells for achieving higher yield and increased service life of the battery packs. The PV battery system was installed in the EnergyFlexHouse at Danish Technological Institute, a full-scale flexible measurement platform for construction and installation technology. This gave the possibility to test the PV battery system in a single-family house environment. The PV battery system was connected to a PV array of 3.5 kWp. High resolution consumptions data for typical single family households was used for minute by minute load simulation in the tested PV battery system. Economic calculations based on Danish feed in tariffs are calculated for a PV battery system and a PV system without battery to clarify if it is profitable for a Danish consumer to install a PV battery. Economic calculations shows that a PV battery system could potentially stimulate the demand for PV systems despite decreasing feed in tariffs.