SMA Energy System Large Scale

Store solar power
and use it broadly

Secure investment in emerging technology

The SMA Sunny Central Storage UP battery storage system will increase the efficiency of your PV power plant. At the same time, battery storage systems perform important grid management functions. Grid frequency fluctuations are avoided thanks to smart plant control with the Power Plant Manager and grid voltage is restored in seconds. Sudden, costly increases in power consumption are prevented by means of load shifting. At night, the energy storage system is charged cost-effectively to cover consumption during the day. SMA storage solutions offer you further potential for maximizing the profit from your sustainable investment.

Benefits

Supplies renewable energy 24/7 - SMA Energy System Large Scale

Supplies renewable energy 24/7

Compensates for load peaks with stored power - SMA Energy System Large Scale

Compensates for load peaks with stored power

High flexibility through extremely fast charging/discharging - SMA Energy System Large Scale

High flexibility through extremely fast charging/discharging

Additional profit maximization - SMA Energy System Large Scale

Additional profit maximization

Use Cases: Grid Services

Use Cases: Renewable Integration

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Use Cases: Grid Services
Industrial-scale energy storage solutions

Industrial-scale energy storage solutions have become mature technology, incorporated into utility scale power plants to serve in many different applications. One major area of application is providing ancillary grid services that provide generation capacity and support grid stability.

Frequency & Voltage Control

Frequency Control ‐ P(f)

Frequency is held to a very strict tolerance, therefore, deltas in frequency must be mitigated. Renewable energy can introduce fluctuations in grid frequency. Energy storage, specifically battery storage, is an ideal way to solve this issue due to its nearly instantaneous reaction time to frequency events. Enhanced inverter controls and rapid response times make for a great combination.

Voltage Control ‐ Q(V)

Fluctuations in grid voltage, especially at the far ends of distribution feeders, can cause damage to loads and utility equipment. Battery inverters can provide full, four-quadrant support to help maintain voltage levels at points of interconnection by utilizing the volt-var function or a voltage droop.

 

Grid Services - Frequency & Voltage Control

Mismatch between load and generation will be reflected into fluctuation of the grid frequency. Storage is an economically feasible option to offer this service

Transmission & Distribution Deferral

Upgrade Deferral

If demand within a distribution network increases to the point that an asset upgrade is required, it can be extremely expensive for the grid operator. Adding energy storage, at a fraction of the cost of the upgrade, can alleviate the stress on the network caused by the demand increase.

Energy arbitrage can be a great tool for grid operators without the need of renewable generation being in the network. By charging the energy storage system either at night or during another time when energy rates are low, the grid operators have the ability to discharge later on in the day to meet demand and reduce the need for peaker plants to be utilized.

Upgrade Deferral

Asset Life Extension

Even if demand growth is not increasing, adding energy storage to an existing distribution network can help extend the life of the assets within the network.

Asset Life Extension

Grid Resiliency

Blackstart

Battery inverters with a DC precharge circuit and grid forming features are capable of starting a grid while down and slowly ramp up voltage to successfully startup a medium voltage transformer. This feature can be utilized by an inverter whose intended application may be for something completely different, but with minimal effort and cost.

Uninterruptable Power Supply (UPS)

Battery inverters can be utilized in several ways to replicate UPS-like functionality at a fraction of the cost of a similar-sized industrial UPS. Double-conversion, online UPS-like functionality, can be accomplished while also providing ancillary grid services to the grid operator.

Grid Resiliency - Large Scale Storage Systems

Easy Integration
AC coupling allows the energy storage systems to be placed virtually anywhere within a distribution network.

Versatile
The same inverter system can be utilized for a multitude of different applications.

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Use Cases: Renewable Integration
Renewable integration solutions for both AC and DC coupled systems

Energy Shifting and Clipped Loss Capture

As module prices continue to decline, increasing the DC-AC ratio on a PV inverter continues to add benefit by allowing more energy production during the shoulder hours. The downside is that there is a large amount of energy loss due to inverter clipping since they have maximum AC power limits. These limits are typically defined by the interconnection with the utility. Adding DC-coupled storage can enable the system to capture what would have otherwise been lost due to clipping and export this energy at a later time.

Energy shifting and clipped loss capture

Dispatchable Asset

Solar energy is well known for being an intermittent resource due to variability in weather. When energy storage is paired on the DC side together with a solar inverter, the asset as a whole becomes much more firm and can be controlled in such a way to make it dispatchable. When the asset is dispatchable, it gets treated in the same way a peaker-power plant or generation plant would, which further strengthens renewable energy’s position in today’s energy markets.

Dispatchable Asset

Ramp Rate Control

In some renewable energy markets there are requirements set regarding ramp rates. Controlling ramp-up rates is relatively easy for a PV inverter. However, controlling ramp-down rates can be challenging, even with advance weather forecasting tools. Adding DC-coupled storage to a PV inverter in this scenario can overcome these challenges by using the storage as a buffer, helping to smooth out the PV inverter’s output power without increasing the nameplate rating of the plant.

Ramp Rate Control

Frequency Control

Frequency Control Frequency is held to a very strict tolerance, therefore, deltas in frequency must be mitigated. Renewable energy can introduce fluctuations in grid frequency. Energy storage, specifically battery storage, is an ideal way to solve this issue due to its nearly instantaneous reaction time. Enhanced inverter controls and rapid response times make for a great combination.

Frequency Control

SMA Solutions Overview

DC coupled solutions - SMA America

Nameplate Power Rating
Add energy storage without increasing total power capacity.

ITC Compliance
Guarantee that all energy flow to and from battery is from renewables.

Round‐trip Efficiency
Increase the overall efficiency of the system.

AC coupled solutions - SMA America

Retrofittable
Can be added to a PV site even after it has been commissioned and is operational.

Versatile
Same inverters can be utilized for a multitude of different applications.

Easy Installation
Most efficient to install next to the substation serving the PV site.

AC-coupled systems

AC-coupled systems are ideal when existing PV power plants are retrofitted with battery-storage systems. But the AC-coupled battery-storage system also optimizes load management in new installations. It stores excess energy and makes it available again within milliseconds.

Find out more

DC-coupled systems

DC-coupled systems are ideally suited for the new installation of large PV power plants with Sunny Central 1,500 V technology. Here, the battery and PV array are connected to the central inverter on the DC side, and excess solar energy is fed directly into the battery in a particularly efficient manner.

Find out more

AC-coupled storage connection
Components

PV modules

PV modules
optimized for the local conditions and your requirements.

SMA Sunny Central UP

Sunny Central UP
SMA central inverter that converts solar power (direct current) into usable alternating current.

SMA Sunny Highpower PEAK3

Sunny Highpower PEAK3
SMA string inverter that converts solar power (direct current) into usable alternating current.

SMA Medium Voltage Power Station MVPS UP

MVPS UP
turnkey container solution with Sunny Central UP and a perfectly coordinated medium-voltage solution that includes a transformer and switchgear.

SMA Sunny Central Storage UP

Sunny Central Storage UP
SMA battery inverter that stores solar power temporarily in the battery and makes it available as required.

Batteria

Battery
our Engineering Service team will advise you on the appropriate battery capacity and power for you.

SMA Power Plant Manager

Power Plant Manager
smart energy manager that operates in conjunction with SMA Monitoring and is responsible for communication and overall system monitoring.

SMA Monitoring

SMA Monitoring
enables easy and efficient online monitoring of your SMA Energy System.

The system in detail

The SMA Energy System Large Scale allows you to store electricity that you can then sell as needed.

  • PV modules

    The PV modules generate direct current from incoming sunlight.

  • Sunny Central UP

    The SMA Sunny Central UP central inverter is the core of your SMA Energy System Large Scale with a centralized system layout. It converts the direct current generated by the PV system into alternating current to be able to feed this into the grid.

  • Sunny Central Storage UP

    The SMA Sunny Central Storage UP battery inverter temporarily stores the surplus solar power in the battery. It performs various grid support functions including frequency, voltage and reactive power control, and it can carry out a black start in the event that the grid collapses.

  • SMA Power Plant Manager

    The SMA Power Plant Manager monitors and manages the energy flows between producers, consumers and the utility grid. It secures need-based energy generation, helps stabilize the utility grid and contributes to optimal energy marketing.

  • Battery

    The battery efficiently stores the solar power temporarily and makes it available again as required. This means that you can use solar power around the clock and feed it into the grid as necessary.

  • SMA Monitoring

    With SMA Sunny Portal powered by ennexOS, you can keep track of current and historical system data at all times. This also enables you to see exactly how much electricity you could still sell.

SMA Sunny Central Storage UP inverter
Solar power available day and night

SMA Sunny Central Storage UP inverter
Features

Di grande efficienza, con una potenza fino a 4600 kVA e l’innovativo sistema di raffreddamento OptiCool

Extremely efficient with a power output of up to 4,600 kVA and innovative OptiCool cooling system

Può accumulare energia molto rapidamente e rilasciarla in modo altrettanto rapido

Can store and discharge energy very quickly

Adatto a prestazioni continue in centrali fotovoltaiche, in qualsiasi clima

Suitable for continuous power in power plants in any climate

Consente un supporto di rete dinamico

Enables dynamic grid support

SMA Sunny Central Storage UP battery inverter
How it works

  • The SMA Power Plant Manager ensures that surplus solar energy is stored in the battery-storage system via the SMA Sunny Central Storage UP battery inverter. Alternating current is converted into direct current.

  • The battery-storage system stores electricity from the sun and other energy sources.

  • The solar power stored in the battery is fed back to the supply grid as and when needed. To do so, the SMA Sunny Central Storage UP battery inverter converts the direct current back into alternating current.

DC-coupled storage connection
Components

PV modules

PV modules
optimized for the local conditions and your requirements.

SMA Sunny Central Storage UP

Sunny Central UP
SMA central inverter that converts solar power (direct current) into usable alternating current.

SMA Sunny Highpower PEAK3

oppure Sunny Highpower PEAK3
SMA string inverter that converts solar power (direct current) into usable alternating current.

SMA Medium Voltage Power Station MVPS UP

MVPS UP
turnkey container solution with Sunny Central UP and a perfectly coordinated medium-voltage solution that includes a transformer and switchgear.

DC-DC Converter

DC-DC Converter
allows the DC voltage to be increased or reduced, thus controlling the direction of energy flow to the battery. If the voltage is increased slightly, the battery will be charged. If it is reduced, the battery will discharge.

Energy Storage System

Battery
our Engineering Service team will advise you on the appropriate battery capacity and power for you.

SMA Power Plant Manager

Power Plant Manager
smart energy manager that operates in conjunction with SMA Monitoring and is responsible for communication and overall system monitoring.

SMA Monitoring

SMA Monitoring
enables easy and efficient online monitoring of your SMA Energy System.

Other solutions for your business with the SMA Energy System Large Scale

Make a personal appointment now.

Make a personal appointment now.

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