Integrating Solar Power with Existing Industrial Electrical Systems
Could your electrical management system benefit from solar power integration? Or more precisely: could your business benefit from lower energy bills?
We’re already helping customers in business and industry to save tens of thousands of pounds a year by converting to solar energy. And here’s the thing: while it can be a big investment in the short term, it offers incredible savings in the long term and can be much easier to implement than you think. You don’t have to throw the baby out with the bath water to get the benefits.
Read More: High Energy Costs? It’s Time to See the Light with Solar PV!
“Experts in retrofitting electrical management systems with integrated solar panels, battery and energy storage.”
In this article, we take you through the benefits of solar energy, the challenges and how we overcome them, explain Electrical Management Systems AND give you a glimpse of the future of solar. The time to integrate is now!
We’re experts in retrofitting electrical management systems with integrated solar panels, battery and energy storage, while making sure that your system is optimised to make your business work better too.
Let’s get into how you can – with our help – integrate solar panel technology into your operations in the most efficient and cost-effective way.
How do we do it? That answer is different for every customer, so we take an individual approach to assessing your current electrical management system, and implementing sustainable solutions that deliver the best possible return on investment in the longer term.
Jump to the information most interesting to you…
The Benefits of Solar Power Integration
There are many benefits of solar panel integration into your operations. In these times of ever-increasing energy costs, saving money is the big one! If you’re also concerned with sustainability – and we’re guessing your customers are too – integrated solar panels, along with battery and energy storage, can go a long way to tick the environmental boxes that businesses increasingly need to prioritise.
Solar power integration can:
Reduce costs
Cost savings is one of the most significant advantages of integrating solar power into industrial electrical systems. While the initial investment in solar technology can be substantial, the long-term savings on energy bills can be considerable.
Solar power systems can also reduce dependency on the grid, leading to lower electricity costs and insulating businesses from fluctuating energy prices.
Minimise environmental impact
Switching to solar energy will significantly reduce your carbon footprint.
By generating clean, renewable energy, companies like yours can decrease greenhouse gas emissions and feed into to global sustainability goals. We can all contribute to achieving net zero and this not only benefits the environment but can enhance your reputation as a responsible corporate citizen.
Empower energy independence
By generating your own electricity and reducing reliance on external energy providers, you’re not only independent of the challenges that come with periods of high energy demand or grid instability, you’re also helping to ensure your operations remain uninterrupted – critical if you’re in an industry such as food or pharmaceutical production.
Ensure you’re compliant and eligible for incentives
Governments worldwide, including here in the UK, offer various incentives and subsidies to encourage the adoption of renewable energy.
By integrating solar power, you can take advantage of these incentives and ensure compliance with evolving energy regulations.
Technical Considerations for Integration
Integrating solar power into existing industrial electrical systems requires careful planning and execution. However, it’s good to know you can leave these things to us: we know what questions to ask and our expert electrical engineers will make sure all the bases are covered for a successful solar power installation.
The kinds of things we take care of include:
Assessing Energy Needs
Before proceeding with solar power integration, we’ll take care to assess your current and future energy needs. This involves analysing historical energy consumption data, identifying peak demand periods, and projecting future energy requirements. Understanding these needs helps us to design a solar power system that has exactly the right size and capacity for you.
System Design and Configuration
The design and configuration of the solar power system are crucial to its successful integration. This includes selecting the right type and size of solar panels, inverters, and batteries. Engineers must also consider the system’s orientation, tilt angle, and shading to maximise energy generation. Additionally, the system should be designed to integrate seamlessly with the existing electrical infrastructure.
Grid Connection and Compliance
To connect the solar power system to the grid, we must ensure that your new system complies with local regulations and standards. Our engineers will ensure that the system meets the technical requirements for grid connection, including voltage and frequency standards. We can co-ordinate with your electricity provider to obtain the necessary approvals and permits.
Battery and Energy Storage Solutions
Integrating battery and energy storage solutions can enhance the efficiency and reliability of your solar power system. Energy storage allows you to store excess solar energy for use during periods of low sunlight or high demand. This can help balance energy supply and demand, reduce reliance on the grid, and provide backup power in case of outages.
Monitoring and Maintenance
Implementing a robust monitoring and maintenance plan is essential for the long-term success of the solar power system. Advanced monitoring systems can provide real-time data on energy production, consumption, and system performance. Regular maintenance and inspections can help identify and address potential issues before they escalate, ensuring optimal system performance.
Check out: How to Craft a Total Plant Maintenance Plan
Solar Integration: Challenges and Opportunities
We’ve never seen an electrical challenge we couldn’t overcome! However old or complex your legacy electrical systems, there is a solution to streamline and innovate them.
So, while integrating solar power with existing industrial electrical systems presents several challenges, we’re confident our strategies and solutions can address them effectively:
Compatibility with Existing Systems
One of the primary challenges is ensuring compatibility between the solar power system and the existing electrical infrastructure. This may require upgrading or retrofitting certain components to accommodate the new system. Our engineers will always conduct a thorough assessment of the existing infrastructure and make any necessary modifications to ensure seamless integration.
Intermittency and Reliability
Solar power is inherently intermittent, as it depends on sunlight availability. This can pose reliability challenges, especially for industrial operations that require a continuous and stable power supply. To mitigate this issue, we recommend incorporating increasingly innovative and affordable energy storage solutions, such as batteries, to store excess energy and provide backup power during periods of low sunlight.
Initial Investment Costs
The initial costs of solar power installation can be a barrier for some industrial facilities. However, the long-term savings on energy bills and the availability of government incentives can help offset these costs. Facilities should conduct a thorough cost-benefit analysis to evaluate the financial viability of solar power integration.
Space Constraints
If your industrial facilities have limited roof or land space, do not fear! Our engineers can explore creative solutions, such as utilising available space efficiently, installing solar panels on unused land, or considering alternative mounting options like carports or building-integrated photovoltaics (BIPV).
Regulatory Compliance
Navigating the complex regulatory landscape can be challenging for industrial facilities seeking to integrate solar power. It is essential to stay informed about local regulations, standards, and incentives related to renewable energy. As your partner, we can act as your consultant and work closely with regulatory authorities to help ensure compliance and streamline the approval process.
Electrical Management Systems Explained
Your Electrical Management System (EMS) is designed to monitor, control, and optimise the electrical infrastructure and energy usage within your factory or facility.
Your EMS should do all this:
Energy Monitoring and Reporting, providing real-time visibility into energy usage patterns that inform decision-making, and generating reports and dashboards to track energy consumption, peak demand, and power quality.
Load Management, balancing and optimising the distribution of electrical loads to reduce peak demand and avoid overloading circuits, while also implementing demand response strategies to shift or reduce energy usage during peak periods.
Power Quality Management, monitoring power quality parameters such as voltage fluctuations, harmonics, and transient events, while also identifying and mitigating power quality issues that can affect equipment performance and lifespan.
Predictive Maintenance, using data analytics and machine learning to predict equipment failures and schedule maintenance proactively, reducing downtime and maintenance costs by identifying potential issues before they become critical.
Cost Optimisation, analysing energy usage patterns to identify opportunities for cost savings through efficiency improvements and tariff optimisation, and supporting decision-making for energy procurement and renewable energy integration.
Compliance and Reporting, ensuring compliance with industry standards and regulations related to energy usage and emissions, while also facilitating reporting for regulatory requirements and sustainability initiatives.
Electrical Management Systems: the Benefits
Implementing an Electrical Management System can help in all of these ways:
Improved Efficiency, reducing energy waste and optimising system performance, leading to lower energy costs.
Enhanced Reliability, monitoring system health and mitigating risks of electrical failures and outages.
Increased Sustainability, supporting the integration of renewable energy sources and the achievement of sustainability goals.
Data-Driven Insights, providing actionable insights into energy usage and system performance, enabling continuous improvement.
Scalability allows for easy expansion and integration with new technologies as the facility grows.
Electrical Management Systems: the Key Components.
There are a number of tools and features that can be integrated into your electrical management system to enhance efficiency and reliability: we can carry out an audit to assess which will be most beneficial to you:
Monitoring and Metering Devices:
- Sensors and Meters measure voltage, current, power factor, and energy consumption at various points in the electrical distribution network.
- Data Collection to gather real-time data on electrical parameters and environmental conditions.
Control Systems:
- Programmable Logic Controllers (PLCs) automate control of electrical equipment and systems.
- Remote Terminal Units (RTUs) facilitate remote control and monitoring of equipment.
Communication Infrastructure:
- Networking connects different components of the EMS, enabling data transmission and remote access.
- Protocols utilise standard communication protocols such as Modbus, BACnet, or DNP3 for interoperability.
Software and Analytics
- Energy Management Software provides a user interface for monitoring, control, and analysis.
- Data Analytics Tools analyses historical and real-time data to identify trends, inefficiencies, and opportunities for optimisation.
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Future Trends and Opportunities
The future of energy is solar powered. The demand for renewable energy continues to grow and solar power integration with industrial electrical systems is poised to gather further momentum.
As we look to the future of solar, we can see there will be even more opportunities:
Advancements in Solar Technology
Ongoing advancements in solar technology are expected to improve the efficiency, reliability, and affordability of solar power systems.
We’re excited by innovations such as bifacial panels, perovskite solar cells, and solar tracking systems that can enhance energy generation and optimise performance. Industrial facilities that stay informed about these advancements and invest in new technologies as they become available will stay at the sharp end of competitiveness.
Integration with Smart Grids
The integration of solar power with smart grids presents significant opportunities for all kinds of industrial facilities. Smart grids enable real-time monitoring, control, and optimisation of energy usage, facilitating seamless integration of renewable energy sources.
By leveraging smart grid technologies, you can enhance energy efficiency, improve reliability, and participate in demand response programs.
Expansion of Energy Storage Solutions
As energy storage technologies continue to evolve, industrial facilities such as yours will have greater opportunities to integrate energy storage solutions with solar power systems.
Advances in battery technology, such as lithium-ion and solid-state batteries, will improve storage capacity, efficiency, and affordability. Energy storage solutions will play a crucial role in addressing intermittency challenges, enhancing reliability, and optimising energy usage.
Find out more: The business case for solar power and battery storage in commercial operations
Increased Focus on Decarbonisation
With the growing emphasis on decarbonisation and sustainability, it will become an increasing priority for you to integrate renewable energy sources, including solar power.
Governments and businesses are setting ambitious carbon reduction targets, creating opportunities for manufacturers and plant operators to align their operations with ambitious net zero goals.
By integrating solar power, you can contribute to decarbonisation efforts, enhance your sustainability credentials, and meet evolving regulatory requirements.
The Bottom Line?
Integrating solar power with existing industrial electrical systems is an achievable way to take transformative step towards sustainability, cost savings, and energy independence.
We know the challenges. But that means we also know the opportunities!
By carefully assessing energy needs, designing robust systems, and addressing technical considerations, facilities can successfully integrate solar power and unlock its numerous benefits.
