Battery Storage 101

In this blog we aim to provide some of the fundamentals of battery storage.

What is a Battery Storage System?

A battery storage system is a system that can safely store usable electric on your premises, which is ready to be utilised upon request. This can be electric generated from green energy such as PV Solar or wind turbines, or even your regular electric supply from the national grid.

How Can I Use a Battery Storage System?

A good example might be where PV Solar is installed and producing energy, but unless its utilised instantaneously it’ll go to waste. Using a storage system will enable the energy to be safely stored until its needed. A couple of different examples of how battery storage can be used are outlined below.

Scenario A)

You are out of the house working and your children are at school and there is no use for instant energy. The solar is producing energy as it is a bright sunny day, but as there is no instant requirement, the battery storage system will store this energy until you are home and ready to use it.

Scenario B)

If you don’t have solar panels installed, you can still use this very versatile storage system to make the best use of cheap rate electrical tariffs. By charging your battery system at low rate tariffs and using the stored electric during the more expensive times, you can still make significant savings.

The Battery Storage System

With the British company GivEnergy, the battery storage system comprises of an inverter (that will convert D.C to A.C power), and the battery itself.

The batteries from GivEnergy come in a variety of sizes (2.6, 5.2, and 8.2) that can be tailored to requirements, with the option to link batteries together and add more in the future.

The control of the charging and discharging can be done via the GivEnergy App, available on Android and Apple devices, allowing for total control of usage and storage.

 

Advantages of using an independent electric car charger installer

Whether you’re looking to install an electric car charger for your home or for the office, it’s important to consider using an independent installer for several reasons which we’ve listed below:

  1. Range of products – independent installers such as UK Green Energy Installations often work with a range of manufacturers of car chargers to bring the best solution to the table. As they’re not restricted to using a particular brand, they can focus on ensuring the product chosen meets with the exacting requirements of the customer.

  2. Integrated green packages – this means installers such as UK Green Energy Installation often diversify which means they don’t just install chargers, but other solutions such as solar PV and battery storage solutions can also be installed at the same time. Not only does it ensure the charger, solar and battery operate seamlessly, but it can work out cheaper than getting it installed separately.

  3. Long-term value – rather than rushing to do the install to move onto the next job, independent installers take pride in ensuring the job is done to perfection. This is because they rely on word-of-mouth recommendations, but also because they want to ensure the product remains reliable in the short and long-term. Most installers will offer a service / maintenance package, ensuring there is no downtime so you get the most our of the install.

Three Important Factors Often Overlooked When Investing in Electric Car Chargers

Below are three important factors that need considering when investing in electric car charger installations, helping you to make the right decision/s so you don’t get caught out.

One: Apples and Oranges

Technology is changing all the time, especially on green technology such as electric car chargers. Like most technology driven products, the greater the functionality, the more investment is usually required. This is especially the case with electric car chargers that utilise ‘Smart Technology’.

  • Smart Technology - not only makes your charger more relevant to grant incentivisation but makes the charger much more flexible because different tariffs can be set for different users, reports on usage can be analysed and phone app integration makes charging effortless.

  • Charge speed (commercial environments) - can make a big difference if time is of the essence. This also requires suitable power supply, but if you have good supply then its worth paying for a faster charger i.e. Rolec Autocharge

  • Multiple charges simultaneously (commercial environments) - is worth the investment if you have limited space. This also is dependent on your power supply, but if you have the supply these units can make a big difference to the quantity of cars it can charge during the work day. Both the Rolec EV Basic Charge and the Rolec Securicharge can be installed to accommodate multiple charges simultaneously.

When you are comparing products, it is important to compare products that have the same functionality, capability as well as quality.

Two: Product Quality and Spare Parts

  • Quality - its important to consider product quality because although it is tempting to make your decision solely on price, a good quality charger will last longer and is less likely to fail. In some instances, cheaper car chargers can be a false economy.

  • Spare parts - is an important factor to consider and is often overlooked. Making sure the charger is from a reputable manufacturer and there is a good supply of spare parts should be a priority. There is nothing worse than paying for a charger and it ends up sitting there idle for weeks because the installer is unable to get hold of the spare parts.

THREE: INSTALLER RELIABILITY

It is tempting to base decisions solely on price, but chargers should be an investment and future proofed with smart technology, flexibility and ease of use. Made by a reputable company so you know the charger is good quality with spare parts availability, so you know its supported is crucial.

Finally, some installers will provide ‘lip service’ so do your homework and ensure you are confident that A) they will install the charger/s to an excellent standard and B) once they’re installed they’ll be supported so there is minimum downtime.

UK Green Energy Installations Announces Membership of the Renewable Energy Consumer Code (RECC).

UK Green Energy Installations are delighted to announce official membership of the Renewable Energy Consumer Code (RECC). As members of the Renewable Energy Consumer Code (RECC), we agree to abide by the Consumer Code. It covers all the factors that contribute to a high standard of consumer service, before, during and after a contract is agreed. More information can be found here.

In the next couple of weeks, we will be working towards the Microgeneration Certification Scheme (MCS) which certifies, quality assures and provides consumer protection for microgeneration installations and installers. These consist of small scale renewable electricity technologies such as solar PV , biomass, wind, heat pumps and heat products Find out more here.

A Surge in Surge Protection

An increasing number of our customers at UK Green Energy Installations are opting to protect ALL their sensitive electrically controlled devices, including Electric Car Chargers with Surge Protection Devices (SPDs).

Providing protection against overvoltages, SPDs are on the increase providing peace of mind, adding protection to car chargers and cars themselves in case an overvoltage occurs.

What is an overvoltage?

Overvoltages are caused by a surge in voltage above the upper limit design of the circuit of an electrical device, such as an electric car charger.  I.e. a switch in large load (electrical energy) when it reaches the household following a power cut.

Is an SPD necessary?

With more expensive electronically controlled devices being used in the modern household the concern for protecting these devices with SPD’s has become a regulation consideration in the 18th Edition wiring regulations BS.7671.

Getting an SPD installed when your Car Charger is being installed is a good way of protecting all of your electronically controlled devices in your home.

Do circuit breakers protect my devices?

Circuit breakers including residual-current device (RCD’s) and miniature circuit breaker (MCB’s) are designed to protect you, your devices and the wiring within your home or business. Whereas SPDs protect you from surges coming into your property from outside your home or business.

Firmware Updates – Why You should Install Them

When we install any new car charger with smart technology built-in, one of the first things we do following powering-up and safety testing, is to check the firmware to see if it is up-to-date.

Why does the firmware require updates?

Technology changes constantly and with new products being released such as new mobile phone software, it is important the chargers continue to stay compatible and can be integrated seamlessly and safely.

Like any hardware operated by software, glitches can occur with the charger’s software and these can be ironed out in newer releases of the firmware.

Example

Following a recent install of a Myenergi Zappi, we found the existing Eddi (controlling the water heating from PV Solar) would not communicate to the new Zappi car charger. This was all down to the firmware never being updated. Once we found the issue, this was easy to rectify.