Energy Storage at sea.

Let's introduce myself: I'm Wim Winkelmolen, the initiator and owner of New Energy.Today. The sailing vessel "Dione IV" is an ongoing project. It is my own ship. I've build her myself and I live aboard for 15 years now. Here I develop, install and test energy systems.

It is an ideal situation for that: the ship is off-grid. That is a choice when we are in a harbour but at sea it is a must. During our long voyages at sea, the ship must be 100% self-sustaining. Energy for the navigation systems communication systems and auto pilot, but also for domestic consumption because we have a demand for comfort: boilers for hot water, cooler and freezer, washing machine and tumble dryer, coffeemachine, induction cooker, electric oven, electric bread maker, etc.

The electrical energy is being generated by solar cells on the top of the pilot house (900 Wp), 4 bifacial solar panels on railing (400Wp), windgenerator (600W) in the mizzen nmast, large 12v alternator (2kW) on the main engine and/or shore power (max 3600W).

By far, the most of electrical energy is generated by the solar cells on the roof of the pilot house (900 Wp) and the panels on the railing (400Wp) from Mito Solar.

The panels are custom made so that the entire available surface of the roof of the pilothouse is covered.

The panels on the railing are bifacicial and foldable. When they are at horizontal postion the rear side of the panels generate up to 30% extra energy from sunlight that reflects on the surface op the water.

At a sunny summerday we have a yield of approx. 8 kWh. From march to october (in the Netherlands) this is sufficient to cover our entire energy need.

The base for the energy system are 5 lithium batteries from MG Energy. 5x LFP 12v 210Ah is a total of 13,5 kWh energy storage.

The set has a weight of only 110kg and is positioned in a small couch in the saloon, seaworthy strapped to the pedestals of the casco.

We use about 3 kWh per day at an average stay on board so we can bridge 4 days when there is no charging on gray days without wind. If we cut back on energy (for instance, postpone the washing machine), we go down to 1 or 2 kWh/day and we can easily bridge more than a week.

Battery management system and DC distribution.

This has been positioned midship (where most cables come together) under a bed.

The charger/inverter is mounted under the same bed. The Multiplus 3000 from Victron supplies the 230v board systems. We have about 16 amps available, more than sufficient for all domestic appliances.

Monitoring and operation is being done by a Victron Cerbo (top display on the photo). Furtheron, a Raspberry Pi micro computer runs OpenHab software; there I program a custom interface to show the data wich I'm interested in. De RPi communicates via ethernet and WiFi with the boardcomputers and a tablet on the navigation counter (bottom display on the photo).

Solar Energy storage.

With Off-grid factory we build a 40ft battery-container prefab in the Netherlands for Belnem house, Bonaire and install it on site at Bonaire.

This container with 500 kWh storage capacity and 135 kW inverter power supplies a luxury appartments building of 34 appartments. There is no grid connection available and the demand for energy is high. Because of the tropical temperatures there are about 100 airco's running in the appartments. All energy is generated by the solar panels on the roofs of the buildings.

The 64 lithium batteries of 7,2 kWh each and the battery management system are supplied by MG Energy.

The 9 charger/inverters of 15kW each and the 3 solar controllers of 12kW each are supplied by Victron and a Victron Cerbo controls and monitors the unit.

By means of a 4G router we are able to monitor and control the entire system from the Netherlands.

312 solar panels can generate 123 kW peak.

The larger part of this yield (about 100kW) is being handled by 2 large PV inverters from SMA and about 20 kW is being handled by 3 solar controllers from Victron.

On a January day we see a yield of about 107kW of solar power.

For backup, a 130 kW dieselgenerator is installed but we expect it to be barely nessecary.

We realize this project in close cooperation with the employer:

- The Off-Grid factory

and suppliers:

- MG Energy

- Victron Energy

Energy storage and peak-shaving.

Together with Off-grid factory we build battery-containers for Rent a battery.

These containers with a storage capacity of 100 kWh and 90 kW inverter power are rented on sites where extra energy is required temporarily. For instance, construction sites, events, holiday parks, etc.

Often as peak-shaving system. The container supplies power for high peaks in the consumption and thus a relatively small grid supply can be used.

But in off-grid situations, too, as energy storage system. For instance, in combination with a diesel generator; the generator only runs to charge the batteries. For example, on a construction site, a lot of power is needed during the day and the diesel generator only kick-in when batteries are low. And it runs at nominal power and during a relatively short time. At night, the batteries supply the power for the lights on site.

The battries and battery management are supplied by MG Energy.

The charger/inverters by Victron and a Victron Cerbo controls and monitors the unit.

The systeem is remote controlled by a 4G router.

On transport!

We do this project in close collaboration with the employer:

- The Off-Grid factory

and suppliers:

- MG Energy

- Victron Energy

Energy Storage at sea.

On a catamaran we install an ESS (Energy Storage System).

The owner's wish is to be independent from shore power as much as possible and generate energy by solar power instead of a diesel generator.

There is a considerable power consumption on board because the couple live and work aboard and there are many electric appliances.

Under the bed in one of the aft cabins we install 2 lithium batteries from MG Energy with a total storage capacity of 14,4 kWh.

In the room in front of that, we install the BMS (Battery Management System) and the solar controller. In a cabinet we install a 5kW inverter/charger from Victron , wich supplies the entire 230v system of the ship.

At the aft of the ship we make a stainless steel frame wich carries 4 full size solar panels with a total power of 1100Wp. These are transparant glass-glass panels wich generate energy on the back side as well. Sunlight that reflects from the water surface generates extra power. The yield increases 10-20% by that.

A Victron Cerbo in the navigationcorner monitors and controls the entire system.

The result is that they barely need shore power any more and they can make long journeys at sea without power problems!

During a small evaluation, a while after we commisioned the system, the couple told us: "Our lives really have changed since we have this energy system. Previously, we were just sailing from one shore power outlet to another. Now, we don't have to worry about electricity at all; super relaxed!".

Energy supply for a camera tower.

On a new sandbar on the outskirts of the island, scientists observe how nature (birds and vegetation) develops.

For that purpose, a camera tower has been placed. Of course, the camera's and the communication systems need electricity. But the nearest grid connection is many kilometers away from here. Therefore, we have build an ESS (Energy Storage System) wich supplies solar energy to the tower.

4 full size solar panels supply a lithium battery via 2 seperate solar controllers .

A Victron Cerbo controls and monitors the unit.

The system is remotely controlled and monitored by means of a 4G router.

We do this project in close collaboration with the employer:

- The Off-Grid factory

and suppliers:

- Victron Energy

Energy-security and consuming self generated solar energy.

At a small farmhouse we install an ESS (Energy Storage System) with a power of 5 kW.

In the cabinet are 2 lithium batteries from MG Energy with a total storage capacity of 15 kWh. The solar controller, inverter and monitoring are from Victron Energy.

The system is remotely monitored and controlled by an internetconnection.

On the roof we mount 9 solar panels.

The energy that these panels generate is being self-consumed here. So there is no feed back into the grid.

In case of a grid failure, this installation takes over the electricity supply from the most important parts of the house.

We do this project in close collaboration with the employer:

- The Off-Grid factory

and suppliers:

- MG Energy

- Victron Energy

- Mensonides Installatie

Energy supply on a remote location.

Military exercise terrain and shooting range airforce at "De Vliehors". This is de most westerly area (inhabited) of the island 'Vlieland', north of The Netherlands. It is an extremely remote and hostile location, dozens of kilometers away from the nearest grid access.

On top of the tower, an extremely advanced camera is mounted, which observes the hits from the bombs and canons from exercises of the jet fighters day and night. It sends the images via a radio link to the command center.

12 full size solar panels must supply the energy for the camera, day and night.

We use tansparant glass-glass panels. These panels generate energy at the rear side as well, resulting in much more yield: we see 50-60% above the specified Wp of the panels.

We have installed the entire system in a watertight stainless steel cabinet because of the extremely hostile environment: storm, sand, salt water, heat, frost, etcetera. There is no shelter here.

In the cabinet, 2 lithium bateries from MG Energy are mounted, with a total storage capacity of 15 kWh. The 2 large solar controllers, inverter and monitoring device are from Victron Energy.

The system is being monitored by a 4G data connection. If nessecary, we can operate and control the system remotely, too.

As a backup, there is a fuel cell (not on the photo). This fuel cell works on ethanol and kicks in at a too low state of charge of the batteries.

Large Energy Storage installation.

On the roofs of a large house and adjacent shed the owner has installed a large number of solar panels; about 30 kWp in total. His wish is to be fully self-supporting in case the grid fails. Not only where it concerns the direct electric power supply but also his heating (heat pump) and drinking water (well), which also require electric power.

At the attic of the shed we install 3x Victron Quattro charger/inverter with a power of 3x 10kVA at 3 fase.

2x SMA Sunny Boy in the shed and 2x SMA Sunny Boy in the house supply solar energy on AC to the system.

The storag/buffer capacity is 60kWh, supplied by 16x BYD B-Box battery

The installation programmed, commissioned and tested.

When we switch off the grid in the house distribution cabinet, the system takes over seamlessly; we can't even notice the lights flicker.

The Victron Cerbo monitors and controls the entire system.

Early spring sunshine generates already 11kW.

We do this project in close collaboration with employers and supplieres:

- Off-Grid factory (employer)

- Victron Energy

Upgrade energy supply Survey vessel.

This ship carries out surveys of the sea bed. The dieselgenerator runs continually to supply power to the survey equipment and many computers. But also, the main engines run all day. So the idea is to supply the 230v board net with an inverter supplied by a battery bank which is charged by the 24v DC from both main engines alternators. Then, the dieselgenerator would be no longer nessecary and that saves emission and costs....

We install a Victron Quattro chrger/inverter with a power of 8kVA, supplied by 4x 220Ah GEL batteries which are charged by the alternators on the main engines. 8 kVA is sufficient for all survey equipment, computers and domestic equipment.

We refit the entire primary DC en AC distribution.

The Victron Cerbo monitors and controls the entire system.

The result: 2 months later, during a visit on board, the skipper tells us he doesn't use the dieselgenerator at all! Previously, the genset ran 24/7...

We do this project in close collaboration with employers and supplieres:

- Off-Grid factory (employer)

- Victron Energy