Solar, an engine and batteries combine to provide heat and power

A 600 kW solar PV plant has been combined with a 400 kW Jenbacher combined heat and power (CHP) engine, as well as battery storage, in a new plant unveiled recently in Berlin.

The plant (the roof of which is pictured) from GE, Kofler Energies and BELECTRIC, aims to demonstrate the effective syncing of conventional and renewable energy, generation and consumption.

The highly efficient decentralised plant, which is scalable, has an intelligent energy management system to enable it to vary its power output to respond to changing demand. It will feed power and heat to the GE Power Conversion production site in Marienfelde, Berlin, Germany, with excess electricity exported to the grid.

The hybrid power plant is based around a natural gas-powered Jenbacher J312 gas engine with integrated heat storage and an efficiency level of 89%, says GE. The 400 kW system covers the basic heat load of the site during winter. The 1,500 V solar PV system has been installed on the roof of the site’s production hall.

Surplus power from the site is stored in a 200 kWh battery. Power only reaches the public grid if the battery is completely full. 

The energy management system enables the plant to be controlled remotely, and the data recorded means the power supply can be adjusted to meet the site’s requirements to the optimum effect. Separately installed counters enable measurements for electricity from the solar PV and from the engine to be separated.

Germany has an aim of increasing the share of CHP electricity in its mix to 25% by 2020.