Example Installation
Spanish homeowner reclaims 26% more energy with Tigo optimizers
Product performance inspires neighbors to choose Tigo
Product performance inspires neighbors to choose Tigo
Background
This 9.5kW residential system is located at Galapagar, on the outskirts of Madrid and it has been installed on a terraced building which serves both as home and office with small data center. The house is also equipped with a home automation system based on IoT.
Challenges
Initially, this array was sized 4.6kW and did not include a storage system. Then, due to the increasing power demand and to the frequent power outages occurring in the region, the homeowner started to seriously consider an upgrade of his PV installation. Basically, he looked for a storage system to increase his level of self-consumption as well as for a solution to maximize energy production with the available roof-space.
To identify shaded areas in detail, he installed two cameras on his roof, so that he could track the sun from sunrise to sunset. Timelapse analysis highlighted a number of diffused shadings throughout the day, primarily caused by two big chimneys and by neighboring rooflines, which heavily impacted on daily production. The results of this preliminary test paved the way to Tigo Flex MLPE solution, with module-level optimization, enhanced safety and remote monitoring via Energy Intelligence software.
As the system owner wanted to maximize the usable space of his house, he opted for adding to the existing layout as many PV modules as possible, covering the whole roof surface and using some of the modules as canopy to shade one of the building terraces. Due to the rapid evolution of power-classes, the choice fell on modules which were different in peak power and technology from the one he originally installed. However, this gap was successfully bridged by Tigo optimizers, since TS4 platform easily supports power mismatches between different solar panels.
Results
On top of the original 15 modules (375 Wp each), 2x 400Wp and 7x bifacial 410Wp solar panels have been added on the roof. The existing inverter has been replaced with a hybrid one, connected to a 80kWh LiFePo storage system. Upgrade has been completed by full deployment of 24x TS4-A-O with CCA Kit.
Energy Intelligence monitoring software immediately enhanced the benefits of optimization: historical data testify a constant double-digit percentage of reclaimed energy, touching its peak late in the morning and giving its contribution also at dusk as well as with the last rays at dawn. Matter of fact, customer reclaimed an average of 26% more energy in the last 12 months, thanks to the clever work of Tigo optimizers during daylight hours.
Such outstanding performances did not go unnoticed. His neighborhood, sharing the same roof orientation and mismatch conditions, looked with curiosity at the results of this PV system and enthusiastically embraced Tigo solution, driven by Energy Intelligence outstanding data.
“The interesting result is that with an accurate planning and the Reclaimed Energy data from the first installation – said the homeowner and designer of this PV system – already nine other families selected and installed Tigo solution, plus a specific installation for energy production of the garden, swimming pool and other common areas of our 24 houses condominium”
A first analysis of production data, enhanced a strong performance linearity of Tigo optimizers, with a 27% average Reclaimed Energy overall value on these ten monitored installations This means that this little Solar Lane already reclaimed MWhs and it’s proudly targeting its first GWh of clean and sustainable energy!
Summary
Installer: The IPv6 Company and Friman Instalaciones S.A.
Installation Type: Residential
Location: Spain
Features: Optimization, Monitoring, Safety (Rapid Shutdown)
Tigo Equipment: Tigo TS4-A-O, Cloud Connect Advanced (CCA), Tigo Access Point (TAP)
