Combining PV and energy storage

With more than 140 countries and regions committed to carbon neutrality, Huawei actively supports and participates in climate action while accelerating the adoption of green energy through continuous technological innovation, helping countries achieve their carbon neutral goals.

In response to the environmental policies in Europe, Huawei continues to innovate and collaborate with local partners to provide clean energy for low-carbon development, enabling a smarter, greener, and better life for people in the region.

Among our facilities across the world, Huawei enables Europe’s largest agriculture PV plant in Germany which boasts an innovative PV system comprising bifacial panels and string inverters, generating clean energy while enabling agricultural production. With our PV system, the Knysna Elephant Park in South Africa has lowered its operating costs, benefiting more than 40 orphaned elephants. In Cameroon, our smart micro-grid plants provide electricity to 300,000 residents in 50 villages. By reducing soil water evaporation with the solar panels of Huawei’s Smart PV Solution, the 2.2 GW PV plant in Qinghai, China, helps restore vegetation and improve the ecological environment. Thanks to the 300 MW PV plant in Jujuy, Argentina, the local government no longer needs to purchase electricity from other provinces, achieving self-sufficiency in power generation. By December 31, 2021, Huawei’s FusionSolar helped customers generate 482.9 billion kWh of green power and save about 14.2 billion kWh of electricity. These efforts have resulted in a reduction of nearly 230 million tons in CO₂ emissions, equivalent to planting 320 million trees.

Huawei is delivering breakthroughs for the industry again at Intersolar 2022. We are launching the exclusive SSLD-TECH and new grid support technologies, offering utility-scale PV plants grid forming solutions with higher safety and reliability. New products for the commercial and industrial (C&I) sector include a three-phase inverter (SUN2000-50KTL-M3), Smart String Energy Storage System (ESS) (LUNA-200kWh-2H0), and a smart PV optimizer (MERC-1100W/1300W-P) – all promoting low-carbon development across industries. We are also debuting an all-new “1+4+X” solution for the residential market. Featuring a smart energy controller which connects a module controller, an ESS, an EV charger, and a management system, the integrated solution enables a smart power consumption ecosystem. This enhances PV self-consumption rate to 90% from 70% in the previous generation, bringing an all-around clean energy experience to homes.

FusionSolar Smart PV Solution 6.0+: Always Available for Higher Yields

Huawei continues to develop its Smart PV Solution, which features the Smart String Inverter, responding to challenges in various industry scenarios. Huawei has been widely recognized by customers around the world for its effort to deliver clean solar power by integrating digital and power electronics technologies while promoting the digital and intelligent development of the PV industry.

Driven by Huawei, smart string solutions have become a clear choice in the PV industry. Building on its leading position, FusionSolar 6.0+ continues to offer high energy yields and smart operation and maintenance (O&M) while achieving breakthroughs in safety and reliability and grid forming, which brings customers a better return on investment.

Safety and Reliability

With increasing power in modules and inverters, safety on the direct current (DC) side has become a challenge for PV plants. After over two years of R&D efforts, Huawei is launching the exclusive Smart String-Level Disconnector Technology (SSLD-TECH), achieving active DC disconnection and precise string-level disconnection. Based on an all-scenario design approach with high precision and fast response, SSLD-TECH accurately identifies and reliably cuts off common DC system faults, which can break reverse string connection/reverse current flow and inverter short circuit. Receiving IEC 60947-2 certification from TÜV and Level 1 accreditation from China General Certification Center (CGC), SSLD-TECH ensures the safety of PV plants with proven effectiveness, which sets a benchmark in DC safety for the industry.

In terms of reliability, according to a report issued by TÜV in March 2022, Huawei’s Smart PV Solution has achieved a 99.999% availability based on the operation data of the 2.2 GW project in Qinghai, China. With durable modules and smart O&M, the world’s largest power plants can run smoothly and efficiently.

Grid Forming

In terms of power grid support, Huawei’s Smart PV & Storage Solution can be used to build a voltage source power station, which is compatible with the power grid.

Optimal Investment

As the core component of PV power plants, Huawei string inverters use a three-level topology (one of Huawei’s patents) to achieve a conversion efficiency of up to 99% at full load. The multi-channel MPPT solves the problem of string mismatch: with 45 units per MW MPPT, and more refined management brings higher power generation and simpler operation and maintenance. The industry leading SDS has increased power generation by more than 1% through the integration of AI algorithms, e.g., it increases power generation by 1.69% in Guangxi, China. Huawei cooperates with more than 10 brands of tracking solar panels to provide users with a better experience. Real-time data from multiple global projects shows that Huawei’s smart PV solutions can significantly increase power generation and help customers shorten their investment payback period.

Smart O&M

Huawei continues to integrate AI and cloud technologies to promote the digital and intelligent transformation of PV and energy storage industries while improving O&M efficiency and reducing O&M costs. Smart I-V Curve Diagnosis 4.0 has revolutionized traditional operation and maintenance methods. It is like a “CT scan” offering a complete online full-scale inspection of 100 MW power plants in 20 minutes, and automatically generating diagnosis reports. It can also scan regularly within flexible times, providing a better user experience. In addition, it supports 14 types of fault diagnosis, with a converge rate of more than 80% of main faults. The key indicators of IV detection, the recognition rate, accuracy rate, and recurrence rate are all greater than 90%. This meets the industry’s highest level of CGC appraisal IV classification certification Level 4. In a real-life application, it helped the 30 MW project of a Malaysian customer save 2,000 man-hours of workload every year.

Smart String ESS: FusionSolar for Optimal LCOS

Energy storage plays an important role in electricity generation, transmission, distribution, and consumption within the clean energy system. An Energy Storage Solution (ESS) serves as a power reserve and a grid regulator and stabilizer at the same time, providing valuable resources for peak shaving and frequency regulation. Market standards for ESS are expected to become more and more stringent.

Due to cell mismatch, conventional energy storage solutions are characterized by limited capacity, short service life, difficult O&M and high safety risk, inhibiting the widespread application of ESS. With more than 10 years of R&D experience in ESS, Huawei integrates digital, power electronics and energy storage technologies in a unique smart string structure to overcome the limitations of lithium batteries. Suitable for peak shaving and frequency regulation, Huawei’s Smart String ESS delivers a flexible and cost-effective solution with a higher profit potential.

Optimal Investment

Huawei adopts four innovations to boost energy throughput in battery charging and discharging, offering a solution to cell mismatch. The pack-level optimization of Smart String ESS enables independent charging and discharging of cells to prevent mismatch loss. Rack-level optimization improves energy throughput by 15% or reduces the initial configurations by 15% at the same energy throughput by eliminating the risks of circulating currents. With distributed cooling, temperature difference in the container can be controlled within 3°C at a 0.5 C-rate, which extends the battery life by 50%. Efficient and reliable, the all-modular design cuts the levelized cost of energy storage (LCOS) by 20% and generates more revenue.

Simplified O&M

The problem of cell mismatch is intensified during the operation of a PV plant, which requires routine shutdowns for the manual calibration of battery state of charge (SOC). Through Huawei’s exclusive pack-level optimization, automatic SOC calibration is carried out without the need to pause operations. The easy replacement of faulty modules eliminates the need for onsite visits by experts, significantly reducing O&M costs. Pre-installed with battery cells, each container weighs less than 30 tons, making it easy to transport the container.

Safety and Reliability

Focusing on the end-to-end safety design, Huawei has implemented four layers of ESS protection, which covers cell-level short circuit detection, pack-level safety shutdown, rack-level overcurrent protection and fault isolation, and system-level smart fire suppression. With these active safety measures, we receive alerts for potential ESS issues. For example, the application of AI and cloud technologies can identify the safety risks in batteries, alerting us to short circuits and severe defects 24 hours in advance while optimizing the battery life. Failure alerts, linked protection, and heat suppression also ensure all-around system safety.

In response to different business models, Huawei’s Smart String ESS can be deployed flexibly to create value for customers. Our energy storage solution achieves the streamlined management of battery discharging with the Smart Rack Controller, ensuring longer, constant power output which is critical to frequency regulation. At the same time, Huawei’s automatic SOC calibration and high availability address the industry challenges for ESS in frequency regulation scenarios, such as high SOC balance frequency and component failures, reducing operating expenses for customers. For peak shaving, the Pack Optimizer and the Smart Rack Controller increase power output by 15% during the life cycle, generating higher revenues for customers.

Commercial & Industrial Smart PV Solution 2.0: FusionSolar for a Sustainable Business

With increasing demand from enterprises to reduce electricity costs and carbon emissions, Huawei debuted the C&I Smart PV Solution 1.0 in 2021, combining PV and energy storage to deliver clean energy to various industries. This year, Huawei launches the 1+3 C&I Smart PV Solution 2.0, including an all-new three-phase inverter (SUN2000-50KTL-M3), a Smart String ESS (LUNA2000-200KWH-2H0) which can be coupled with the 100kW power conditioning system (PCS), and a smart PV optimizer (MERC-1100W/1300W-P). The new generation of the C&I Smart PV Solution will lead different industries into a low-carbon era with optimized electricity costs, active safety, and smart O&M for an enhanced experience.

The electricity consumption of enterprises usually peaks in the daytime, and the consumption curve is comparatively consistent with the PV curve. Electricity costs can be significantly reduced by using PV power for self-consumption and selling the remaining power to the grid at feed-in tariff rates. The installation of an ESS further boosts the self-consumption rate to more than 80%, and by taking advantage of critical peak pricing, the production costs can be lowered. All of these can help customers to build a low-carbon environment with improved competitiveness for green development.

Optimal Electricity Cost:

As seen from case study comparisons, Huawei’s C&I Smart PV Solution can increase power generation by more than 2% under the same conditions. To address shading issues commonly faced by the C&I sector, Huawei has launched the latest MERC-1100W/1300W-P optimizer, increasing installation volume by up to 30%. When the system capacity is raised from 175kW to 200kW, 15% increase in installation volume can contribute 25,000 kWh of additional electricity. Thanks to its pack-level optimization, Smart String ESS improves energy throughput by 2%-5% during the service life, which further reduces the electricity cost.

Active Safety:

To ensure safety for customers, the inverter is equipped with an AI-powered arc fault circuit interrupter (AFCI), which received the highest Level 4 certification from the CGC. The AFCI can detect arc fault locations in modules and distinguish noises from electric arcs, effectively eliminating false alarms and omissions. The combination of the leading SSLD-TECH and the AFCI provides dual protection for the system with precise DC fault detection and emergency disconnection. The four layers of ESS protection can prevent safety hazards, system faults and potential failures, drastically improving the system’s safety.

Smart O&M: The installation of the optimizer enables module-level management and the real-time monitoring of the power plant operation, cutting O&M costs by 50%. The automatic SOC calibration of the ESS saves personnel site visit and reduces the O&M cost.

Residential Smart PV Solution 3.0: FusionSolar for a Better Life

Following the launch of the “1+3+X” Residential Smart PV Solution 2.0 in 2021, Huawei presents the upgraded “1+4+X” design this year. Featuring a smart energy controller which connects a module controller, an ESS, an EV charger, and a management system, the integrated solution enables a smart power consumption ecosystem. This enhances PV self-consumption rate to 90% from 70% in the previous generation, bringing an all-around clean energy experience to homes with lower electricity costs, active safety, and intelligent assistant.

EV Charger (FusionCharge AC AP07/22N-EU): To enable low-carbon living, Huawei has launched a new solar EV charger for residential use with easy indoor and outdoor installation, delivering convenient fast charging.

1. Optimal Electricity Cost: Slimmer and lighter, the brand-new SUN2000-600W-P Smart Module Controller performs well for high-power modules. The flexible design coupled with the optimizer is suitable for any rooftop while supporting shading conditions and multi-directional installation. Increasing with installation, power generation can go up by 27% as seen in a pilot case study. Compact and stylish, Huawei’s Smart String ESS supports modular configurations and delivers high power throughput, allowing customers to enjoy efficient clean energy.
2. Active Safety: The industry leading AFCI technology can accurately detect arc faults and disconnect the inverter in 0.5 seconds. Meeting NEC 2017 which is one of the most stringent international safety standards, the smart optimizer supports automatic and manual activation in an emergency to bring the voltage of rooftop modules to zero. This helps to prevent electric shocks with rapid disconnection. The ESS also complies with VDE2510, one of Germany’s strictest standards in system safety. All of these minimize the safety hazards of a residential PV system, to give customers peace of mind.
3. Intelligent Assistant: By learning from big data about weather conditions and user habits, the AI energy management assistant EMMA can offer accurate estimations of PV power generation and household electricity consumption. It automatically adjusts the system for the best working mode, delivering clean solar power while ensuring comfort.

The combination of PV and ESS provides backup power during outages, ensuring the smooth running of important appliances such as security systems, lighting equipment and refrigerators, which eliminates customers’ worry about continuous power supply at home.

Case Study of a German Household:

With 100% solar power supply enabled by two SUN2000-5KTL/6KTL-M1 inverters and a 10kW LUNA2000-10-S0 ESS, electricity generated is used for charging the heat pump and the electric vehicle in addition to meeting daily power needs. The family is not affected by power outages as they are self-sufficient in electricity. The customer commented, “It’s easy to check out and manage the equipment on the app, even my daughter can do it. With an aesthetically pleasing and compact design, the products are perfectly match the design of my house as decorations. The after-sales service is wonderful, and I enjoyed the whole experience.”

Smart Micro-grid Solution: Clean and Reliable Power Supply

According to World Bank, 840 million people live in off/unstable grid areas, where electricity from oil is still common. This traditional way of power generation results in high cardon dioxide emissions, high costs and low efficiency, contributing to the widespread problem of energy divide. Therefore, Huawei launches the Smart Micro-grid Solution to deliver optimal LCOE for 100 MW micro-grid projects with energy storage, providing clean, safe, and reliable power supply with higher energy output and lower costs.

Optimal LCOE and Reliable Power Supply

Supporting the seamless online transition of medium-voltage off/on-grid changeover, the solution effectively avoids power outage loss of US$2 million/MW compared to traditional power generation from oil. For off-grid fault ride through, the saving from power outage is US$50,000/MW. With grid-tied THDi lower than 1% and off-grid THDu below 2%, the solution delivers optimal power quality, helping to achieve zero-carbon generation and eliminate the energy divide.

Reduced System Costs

Adopting a 2:1 PV/BESS ratio, the solution can reduce the initial configurations by up to 50%. Both the multi-channel maximum power point tracking (MPPT) of the string inverter and the Smart DC System (SDS) increase power generation by 1%. With pack-level optimization, rack-level optimization, distributed cooling and all-modular design, the Smart String ESS cuts the LCOS by over 20%, fulfilling the charging and discharging potential of batteries.

Active Safety

Equipped with SSLD-TECH, the Smart String Inverter enhances the active safety of power plants. The Smart String ESS features four layers of protection at the cell, pack, rack, and system levels, preventing risks with measures from alerts and active isolation to system shutdown.

Huawei integrates information and communications technology (ICT), power electronics and energy storage, and continues to collaborate with customers and business partners around the world to build a low-carbon environment. We are focused on achieving our goal of zero carbon and accelerating carbon neutrality for a greener, better future.

Case Study of German Agriculture PV Plant:

As one of the largest agriculture PV plants in Europe, our PV plant in Aasen, Donaueschinger covers an area of ​​14 hectares with about 11,000 PV panels installed. The total capacity of 4.1 MW can meet the daily electricity demands of a medium-sized village. The bifacial modules are installed vertically with one side facing east and the other facing west, which helps to avoid shading between the PV panels. With large spacing between rows, the use of agricultural machinery and the area for crop and livestock production are not affected. Unlike conventional solutions which adopt elevated modules in, the unique PV system produces two streams of revenue for farmers.

For more information: https://solar.huawei.com. And follow us @Huawei FusionSolar