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Has anyone had any reply from the Power Vault home energy storage trial?

  • 13 October 2020
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D10hul
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Just wondering if anyone had any replies from the Power vault side of things ?

 

https://www.ovoenergy.com/powervault-home-energy-storage

 

A step in the right direction, now we just need Solar panels to be offered by OVO in some form as part of a Tarif or offer of installation, and were cooking !!!

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Best answer by Transparent 13 October 2020, 12:32

Yes. Some of us have proceeded past the initial site selection and are awaiting the survey stage.

I believe it’s much smaller than the V2G Trial and is targetted at certain geographical areas.

Remember that there’s another Battery Trial already running in the Woodhall Spa area. That uses Sonnen batteries with the aim of reducing the load on the 11kV and 33kV feeds in the area. There are constraints during the early evening peak. Western Power has already announced some measure of success (unquantified).

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Transparent
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Yes. Some of us have proceeded past the initial site selection and are awaiting the survey stage.

I believe it’s much smaller than the V2G Trial and is targetted at certain geographical areas.

Remember that there’s another Battery Trial already running in the Woodhall Spa area. That uses Sonnen batteries with the aim of reducing the load on the 11kV and 33kV feeds in the area. There are constraints during the early evening peak. Western Power has already announced some measure of success (unquantified).

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Tim_OVO
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Can I ask if you registered your interest in the Powervault trial @D10hul ? I’m not sure of implications for V2G trilaists….?

 

It’s super exiting to think of these batteries going in homes (some already have as @Transparent has mentioned). I really feel energy storage and microgeneration / V2G technologies are the game changes here, for Plan Zero, via Kaluza’s Flex Platform… I think there’s going to be some super cool stuff in the market over the next few years to solve this climate crisis: bring it on! 

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Transparent
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Interesting comments @Tim_OVO 

Take a deep breath, pour yourself a glass of something :wine_glass:   and just have a think why this technology is a game changer within the Plan Zero strategy?

What is it about the Flex Platform which helps to solve Climate Change?

I’m not saying you’re wrong…. but I like to see the working, not just the conclusion!

Coz I think there’s very little in the current implementation model to substantiate that these benefits can be achieved.

There’s some changes needed… and I believe the Forum is a great place to mull those over.

That’s what prompted me to write this in response to @Andras yesterday.

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D10hul
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Can I ask if you registered your interest in the Powervault trial @D10hul ? I’m not sure of implications for V2G trilaists….?

 

It’s super exiting to think of these batteries going in homes (some already have as @Transparent has mentioned). I really feel energy storage and microgeneration / V2G technologies are the game changes here, for Plan Zero, via Kaluza’s Flex Platform… I think there’s going to be some super cool stuff in the market over the next few years to solve this climate crisis: bring it on! 

yes, but no communications received 

Tim_OVO
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What is it about the Flex Platform which helps to solve Climate Change?

 

This platform’s aim, the Kaluza company that built it, and the parent company that formed Kaluza are all focused on this one carbon neutral mission. 

 

There’s some changes needed… and I believe the Forum is a great place to mull those over.

 

 Changes are guaranteed, discussions and knowledge sharing are essential. I can’t wait! :blush:

 

yes, but no communications received 

 

Can you confirm it was your forum email address you used when registering your interest? 

Carbon neutral - we need a community to get there!
D10hul
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What is it about the Flex Platform which helps to solve Climate Change?

 

This platform’s aim, the Kaluza company that built it, and the parent company that formed Kaluza are all focused on this one carbon neutral mission. 

 

There’s some changes needed… and I believe the Forum is a great place to mull those over.

 

 Changes are guaranteed, discussions and knowledge sharing are essential. I can’t wait! :blush:

 

yes, but no communications received 

 

Can you confirm it was your forum email address you used when registering your interest? 

Yes Ash it would have been 

Transparent
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From a technical viewpoint, I can’t see how V2G Trialists could also be a test site for storage batteries due to the way in which the Flex Platform is currently implemented.

So this falls into the category of “changes needed” which I’ve just mentioned.

The crux of the issue is because G98 stipulates that a house may not export more than 16A per phase.

When you look at the way in which the V2G charger is driven, it seems to be a digital output. Either it exports 16A, or nothing. There is no setting inbetween.

 

To permit Battery Storage at the same site, the DNO will require an interlock between the two systems, ensuring that both cannot export simultaneously.

Equally, the customer will want an interlock to ensure that one isn’t exporting whilst the other is charging. All that would achieve is energy-losses!

Kaluza will need to demonstrate that they have a functional interlock, and I doubt that the software control is yet at that stage. But I do have a possible solution if you’d like me to expound further.

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Tim_OVO
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Kaluza will need to demonstrate that they have a functional interlock, and I doubt that the software control is yet at that stage. But I do have a possible solution if you’d like me to expound further.

 

Always…

 

Tagging @ArundaleP who might find this of interest :blush:

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Transparent
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A possible solution:

Since it would be reasonable to have a V2G charger or a Storage Battery exporting for a half-hour unit of time, why couldn’t Kaluza use this opportunity to experiment with the Auxiliary Load Control Switch (ALCS) system, inbuilt to Smart Meters?

A single HH-period can be configured to have only one of the two devices exporting. During that period, any other Storage Devices may neither export nor charge.

It’s a crude approach, but simple enough that it’s more likely to gain approval from DNOs.

 

Once confidence has been built up, and the control system verified with actual export readings, the algorithm can be extended to permit two or more Storage Devices to release charge, provided that no more than 16A is actually exported to the grid. Thus a Storage Battery could be used to satisfy the demands of the house, whilst the V2G charger supplements the local grid.

Such an approach requires real-time monitoring of the actual export current… which could be achieved via the current clamps already being used by Kaluza.

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@Transparent  Irrespective of software control, to be approved by the DNO to have multiple generating sources you must apply for approval for exactly that. How the DNO react to your request for multiple generation sources does seem to vary between DNO and individual staff. 

Regarding the V2G specifically, I was informed that G100 approval is being sought but delayed at present. It was meant to be available Q2 2020 along with solar matching and load balancing (to allow multiple chargers without a changeover switch).

Presently the V2G has an export limitation of 3.6kW so by itself conforms to G98 and simply requires notification to the DNO. If it is installed at a location with existing generation (PV etc) then G99 approval would be required and likely a site export limitation granted.

In my case I have a site export limit of 7kW, the V2G charger (a potential 3.6kW) and 6kW PV system. The solar system is G100 compliant so manages the site export limitation of  7kW without any communication with the V2G.

 

I can see no reason why properties could not have V2G, solar PV and battery storage so long as the equipment being installed can manage the export (G100) and appropriate DNO approval is granted (always an unknown until you have the certificate).

It would of course be so much simpler if a standard had been agreed and all manufactures stuck to it, this would prevent duplication of measuring equipment, simplify installation and reduce costs.

 

 

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NinjaGeek
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You are very lucky to be on this trial. Battery storage sure is something I would like to invest in my home in the next few years. I cannot wait to see peoples thoughts about the technology once it's in peoples homes.

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Transparent
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There are quite a number of different ways in which the Flex platform could be configured to utilise a fixed storage battery. We don’t yet know how many of these are to be tested within this Trial.

I probably ought to draw a set of diagrams to show these theoretical modes of operation. Would that be useful?

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Transparent
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Update - I’ve put an initial pair of diagrams over here on a Topic about a 3rd-party battery installation.

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