The popularity of solar power plants has increased dramatically over the last decade. It is no longer surprising to see them in fields along motorways and on the roofs of private homes. It is predicted that as technology improves, solar power plants will become more intelligent, and people will reduce their electricity bills even further.
Experts predict that the intelligent battery will be one of the more important trends in solar power plants in 2022. It will store the electricity generated by the solar plant and use cheaper electricity from the grid.
Different ways of storing solar electricity
It is typical for a solar power plant to produce energy only when it is a sunny day. However, most of the electricity is consumed in the evening, when it is no longer produced. Often the energy collected during the day is stored somewhere. In some countries, it is possible to transfer the solar energy generated during the day to a common electricity grid and “store” it there. In the evening, it can be recovered and used for a minimal fee. Meanwhile, it is not possible to transfer the generated energy to the grid in other countries. Therefore, if a solar plant generates more energy than it consumes, it automatically switches off.
Another way to store solar electricity is to install a battery in the power plant system. In this way, the energy stored during the day can be used at night.
The smart battery of today
Soon, the battery in the power plant system will be managed more intelligently. Solar power plant loggers will analyze differences in electricity prices on the market and manage the battery to store cheaper electricity from the grid. In many countries, the cost of electricity is much lower during off-peak periods, so it will be possible to take advantage of this opportunity. For example, an innovative solar logger with a battery can connect to the grid and store the cheapest energy at the best time when the solar plant is of little use in winter. Electricity is usually most affordable at night, so the battery would be able to recharge at minimal cost during that time. If there is still a shortage and it is not receiving solar power, it will recharge during the day at a fixed time. Special programmes and algorithms will be used to ensure that everything runs like clockwork and that the battery reacts to different conditions and changes in grid prices.
In short, the smart battery will take advantage of both free solar energy and electricity market price differences.
What about the electric car?
If you own or are thinking of buying an electric car, the cost of electricity is crucial. Therefore, a solar power plant with an intelligent battery connected to it will soon not only allow you to charge it at minimal or no cost but also to extract excess energy from it. The car will then become a battery of sorts.
For example, if you charge it overnight with cheap electricity, you can put the excess back on the grid when you get to the office. This intelligent and economical energy use will become part of the smart home and ecology.
Dr Sarunas Stanaitis, the CEO of Inion Software