Grid-tie PV systems are used to reduce grid import energy and thereby reduce the customer’s utility bill. Nuvo Energy specialises in solar PV systems for the commercial and industrial sector.
Grid-tie PV systems suffer downtime due to load shedding. Integrating a diesel generator into your PV plant allows the PV plant to operate during power outages. The PV plant would synchronise to the diesel generator and reduce the generator loading. Nuvo Energy has developed a solution to optimally control the PV plant while on generator mode thereby reducing the generator fuel consumption. Speak to us about our generator integration kit for integrating your PV plant into a new or existing generator.
Designed for seamless integration with backup generators.
Enjoy significant fuel savings as the system smartly deploys PV power to reduce generator load. This ensures that your generator operates at its best, making the most of available resources.
The system allows for seamless integration with generators from various manufacturers. It uses an energy meter to measure generator production, optimising PV output for peak efficiency.
Compatible with all major inverter brands and supporting MODBUS RTU and TCP, the system ensures smooth inverter control and monitoring. Implement grid-feed prevention or grid-export setpoints effortlessly, all while staying connected to the grid.
Designed for easy installation and commissioning, the system operates autonomously once set up, providing peace of mind as your PV plant excels.
Battery energy storage systems (BESS) are becoming increasingly popular to avoid generator usage and take advantage of seamless power supply during grid outage. Nuvo Energy offers BESS solutions that fit the commercial, industrial, and utility markets.
BESS systems can be configured for pure backup, arbitrage, peak shaving, or economic mode where the grid import energy can be avoided for certain times of the day. This allows the BESS system to be used in various ways to increase the return on investment of the BESS purchase. As the energy landscape changes it is important to have a solution that can adapt and continually produce savings for the customer.
We provide various solutions to the rooftop market. We support all the major roof sheeting types with industry approved clamping methods.
For the agricultural and utility markets, we supply ground mount fixed tilt or single axis tracker solutions that maximise your solar yields. All racking systems are designed and approved for the particular soil conditions of the project and wind loading zone of the area. Fixed tilt systems are typically recommended for smaller sub 1 MWp projects, whereas single axis tracker solutions are feasible above 1 MWp depending on the irradiation zone of the project.
Carport installations are becoming increasingly popular and efficient spaces for placement of the solar array. The combination of a renewable energy plant and a shade structure for cars in the hot South African conditions makes the solution appealing for office parks and retail outlets. Commercial roofs are not typically designed with solar module loading in consideration, the solar carport solves this problem by providing an off-roof mounting location that is structurally safe and aesthetically pleasing.
Solar systems are usually sized based on self-consumption, ensuring that the generated solar power fully supplements the consumer load with minimal curtailment. To size a system accurately, a load profile of the facility is created using municipal meter data or by physically logging consumption over at least two weeks. This data helps plot daytime, weekday, and weekend load profiles to determine the optimal PV system size. Sometimes, the PV system may be oversized to allow for grid export, if permitted by Eskom or the local municipality for net metering or banking.
Grid-tie solar systems will shut down during load shedding as they lose the grid reference and cannot operate in a solar-only mode. To maintain operation during load shedding, facilities need to install a diesel generator or a battery backup system to support solar production.
South Africa, particularly in its Northern provinces, boasts one of the best climates for solar energy production. Grid-tie solar systems can be highly successful, especially where there is a significant daytime load, helping to offset grid energy costs at municipal or Eskom tariffs and ensuring a viable return on investment.
The required number of solar panels depends on various factors, including the load profile and installation type. For grid-tie systems, the load profile helps determine the solar PV installed capacity, which is usually matched or slightly less than the mid-day peak load. The PV system's installed capacity may be increased to compensate for temperature and system losses. For battery-based systems, solar capacity might be increased to support the load profile and battery charging. To calculate the number of panels needed, divide the required PV system capacity by the wattage of each panel. For example, a 100 kWp PV system using 500 W panels would need 200 panels.
The risks associated with BESS have significantly decreased as battery chemistries, such as LiFePO4, have become inherently safer compared to others like NMC. Fire risks are mitigated through integrated fire suppression and cooling systems. Selecting products with a proven track record and high build quality is crucial for minimising BESS risks.
A battery's life expectancy depends on its usage. More frequent use leads to a shorter lifespan. Manufacturers often provide cycle life and depth of discharge figures to indicate a battery's expected lifespan and warranty, typically ranging from five to ten years. Lithium batteries, for example, may last up to 10 years with 70% retained capacity, assuming daily usage at 80% depth of discharge.
BESS are used for more than just backup power during load shedding. They can improve investment returns through peak shaving, reducing facility demand charges, and arbitrage, discharging during high tariff periods and recharging at lower costs. However, balancing the battery's cycling capacity while ensuring sufficient backup for load shedding can be challenging, with priority given to continuous supply over economic savings.
A generator integration kit is crucial for grid-tie PV systems because it allows the PV system to operate when the grid fails by using a generator as the load source. This integration reduces the load and fuel consumption of the generator, leading to significant fuel savings.