ᐅ The Makers of the Day After Tomorrow – Baden-Württemberg State Anniversary 2012
Created on: 26 Mar 2012 11:18
B
Bauexperte
A friendly hello to the users/readers of the house construction forum,
Over the weekend, I attended the Bau- & Wohnträume exhibition in Pulheim. There, I got to know one of the winning products from the competition mentioned in the subject line, organized by the state of Baden-Württemberg.
But first: What is an "Übermorgenmacher"?
"Übermorgenmacher" live in Baden-Württemberg, are at least 16 years old, and are working—professionally or privately—on an exciting future-oriented project. Usually, they are individuals. Some "Übermorgenmacher" work together in small groups on a shared project.
Übermorgenmacher focus on technology, science, or research, work in medicine, manage projects in the social sector or ecology, look for improvements in everyday life, or work to optimize education in our country. In short: They work precisely where the future is developed and the world of the day after tomorrow is shaped. They do this either professionally or possibly in their free time.
One of this year’s winners is Bernd Sauer. He developed the self-sufficient power system AZUR INDEPENDA, setting the course for generating and storing environmentally clean electricity for personal use.
Introduced in early June 2011 at the world’s leading trade fair Intersolar in Munich, the intelligent self-sufficient power system enables private households as well as small and medium-sized enterprises to shift from being dependent consumers to nearly independent energy producers.
In this intelligent power system, solar power is distributed within the home by a device called an energy manager, which is computer-controlled. Depending on current demand, electricity is automatically used immediately, stored (in a special solar storage system in the basement), or fed into the public grid if there is excess production. For the homeowner, this means: they always have electricity and receive up to 80 percent of their electricity needs from their photovoltaic system on their own roof. This relieves the power grid and the environment, reduces CO₂ emissions, and saves money.
Source code: Die Übermorgenmacher: Übermorgenmacher
Example:
You invest, for example, approximately €30,000.00 (net retail price of €30,000.00 including all ancillary costs such as mounting structures, remuneration from the Renewable Energy Act, as well as maintenance contract and interest) for the plant size L (6.345 kWp capacity).
Over 24 years, you save a total of around €55,000.00** on electricity costs. Despite the investment, you make around €30,000 across the term.
You can conveniently arrange financing through your house bank, your home savings bank, or through a KfW loan.
**The calculation example is based on an electricity price of 0.26 cents/kWh, an annual electricity price increase of 6% (including 2% inflation), an interest rate of 5%, a self-consumption rate of 80%, a maintenance contract of 250 euros per year, and an electricity yield of 950 kWh/kWp/year.
Renewable Energy Act remuneration comparison for self-consumption
With 100% grid feed-in, the Renewable Energy Act rate is 24.43 cents.
With 70% grid feed-in and 30% self-consumption:
26 cents for the saved electricity price
+ 8.05 cents Renewable Energy Act remuneration for self-consumption
= 34.05 cents.
Your advantage with self-consumption compared to
100% grid feed-in (24.43 cents) is 9.62 cents.
With 20% grid feed-in and 80% self-consumption:
26 cents for the saved electricity price
+ 12.43 cents Renewable Energy Act remuneration for self-consumption
= 38.43 cents.
Your advantage with self-consumption compared to
100% grid feed-in (24.43 cents) is 14 cents.
As of 2012. All cent values per kWh.
Best regards
Over the weekend, I attended the Bau- & Wohnträume exhibition in Pulheim. There, I got to know one of the winning products from the competition mentioned in the subject line, organized by the state of Baden-Württemberg.
But first: What is an "Übermorgenmacher"?
"Übermorgenmacher" live in Baden-Württemberg, are at least 16 years old, and are working—professionally or privately—on an exciting future-oriented project. Usually, they are individuals. Some "Übermorgenmacher" work together in small groups on a shared project.
Übermorgenmacher focus on technology, science, or research, work in medicine, manage projects in the social sector or ecology, look for improvements in everyday life, or work to optimize education in our country. In short: They work precisely where the future is developed and the world of the day after tomorrow is shaped. They do this either professionally or possibly in their free time.
One of this year’s winners is Bernd Sauer. He developed the self-sufficient power system AZUR INDEPENDA, setting the course for generating and storing environmentally clean electricity for personal use.
Introduced in early June 2011 at the world’s leading trade fair Intersolar in Munich, the intelligent self-sufficient power system enables private households as well as small and medium-sized enterprises to shift from being dependent consumers to nearly independent energy producers.
In this intelligent power system, solar power is distributed within the home by a device called an energy manager, which is computer-controlled. Depending on current demand, electricity is automatically used immediately, stored (in a special solar storage system in the basement), or fed into the public grid if there is excess production. For the homeowner, this means: they always have electricity and receive up to 80 percent of their electricity needs from their photovoltaic system on their own roof. This relieves the power grid and the environment, reduces CO₂ emissions, and saves money.
Source code: Die Übermorgenmacher: Übermorgenmacher
Example:
You invest, for example, approximately €30,000.00 (net retail price of €30,000.00 including all ancillary costs such as mounting structures, remuneration from the Renewable Energy Act, as well as maintenance contract and interest) for the plant size L (6.345 kWp capacity).
Over 24 years, you save a total of around €55,000.00** on electricity costs. Despite the investment, you make around €30,000 across the term.
You can conveniently arrange financing through your house bank, your home savings bank, or through a KfW loan.
**The calculation example is based on an electricity price of 0.26 cents/kWh, an annual electricity price increase of 6% (including 2% inflation), an interest rate of 5%, a self-consumption rate of 80%, a maintenance contract of 250 euros per year, and an electricity yield of 950 kWh/kWp/year.
Renewable Energy Act remuneration comparison for self-consumption
With 100% grid feed-in, the Renewable Energy Act rate is 24.43 cents.
With 70% grid feed-in and 30% self-consumption:
26 cents for the saved electricity price
+ 8.05 cents Renewable Energy Act remuneration for self-consumption
= 34.05 cents.
Your advantage with self-consumption compared to
100% grid feed-in (24.43 cents) is 9.62 cents.
With 20% grid feed-in and 80% self-consumption:
26 cents for the saved electricity price
+ 12.43 cents Renewable Energy Act remuneration for self-consumption
= 38.43 cents.
Your advantage with self-consumption compared to
100% grid feed-in (24.43 cents) is 14 cents.
As of 2012. All cent values per kWh.
Best regards
B
Bauexperte27 Mar 2012 15:57Hello Micha,
Smiling ... Mother Nature, may you keep your childlike faith 😀
Decentralized energy supply has existed for quite some time in the form of combined heat and power plants. Where smaller residential developments are realized by a group of investors, it also works wonderfully – a good alternative! On the open market: no chance. The problem is this: you have two parties in front of you and at least five opinions ...
Since the average German (ironically, regardless of their country of origin) likes to go their own way, I prefer small-scale self-sufficiency. This doesn’t bruise the individual’s self-confidence and preserves their “prejudices.” Slow and steady wins the race 😀
On paper, 2021 has actually been set since, in my opinion, 2008 or 2009. However, looking at the new Energy Saving Ordinance 2012 or what is speculated to come out of it, I regard 2021 with mixed feelings.
I’m also not sure that the profitability of an investment should be the sole focus of any consideration. For example, if initially all those who can afford an extra €30,000 invest in photovoltaics and storage, and only one-third of them actually make this investment ... well, then this technology will become more affordable in the medium term and thus interesting for smaller budgets. Besides that, I don’t think the funding programs will let this technology fall by the wayside. And ... the battery isn’t that big either, comparable to a simple American refrigerator without a water connection.
I’ve been trying for years on a small scale—right on my own local doorstep—and I’m not getting anywhere. I keep hearing the same answer: “What difference can I make as an individual?” … argh. If I’m unlucky, my “inconvenient” attitude will cost me my Thursday skat night … the local politician is not amused …
Kind regards
Micha&Dany schrieb:
Personally, I believe that mainly decentralized energy supply with energy storage is the best way to achieve the energy transition.
Smiling ... Mother Nature, may you keep your childlike faith 😀
Decentralized energy supply has existed for quite some time in the form of combined heat and power plants. Where smaller residential developments are realized by a group of investors, it also works wonderfully – a good alternative! On the open market: no chance. The problem is this: you have two parties in front of you and at least five opinions ...
Since the average German (ironically, regardless of their country of origin) likes to go their own way, I prefer small-scale self-sufficiency. This doesn’t bruise the individual’s self-confidence and preserves their “prejudices.” Slow and steady wins the race 😀
Micha&Dany schrieb:
Decentralized energy storage for a neighborhood / a street (or however you call it) – that’s more economical than batteries in the basement – but the colleagues working on storage still have some homework to do 😀 By 2021? Could work!
On paper, 2021 has actually been set since, in my opinion, 2008 or 2009. However, looking at the new Energy Saving Ordinance 2012 or what is speculated to come out of it, I regard 2021 with mixed feelings.
I’m also not sure that the profitability of an investment should be the sole focus of any consideration. For example, if initially all those who can afford an extra €30,000 invest in photovoltaics and storage, and only one-third of them actually make this investment ... well, then this technology will become more affordable in the medium term and thus interesting for smaller budgets. Besides that, I don’t think the funding programs will let this technology fall by the wayside. And ... the battery isn’t that big either, comparable to a simple American refrigerator without a water connection.
Micha&Dany schrieb:
oh yes – count me in!! And then we’ll continue in Berlin!! :p
I’ve been trying for years on a small scale—right on my own local doorstep—and I’m not getting anywhere. I keep hearing the same answer: “What difference can I make as an individual?” … argh. If I’m unlucky, my “inconvenient” attitude will cost me my Thursday skat night … the local politician is not amused …
Kind regards
M
Micha&Dany27 Mar 2012 23:38Hello building expert
That doesn’t necessarily have anything to do with childlike faith... Even if our environmental Norbert further scales back subsidies for renewable energy (which I think is necessary and good – only the implementation is disastrous), the expansion of renewables will still be significantly higher in the future than the know-it-alls in Berlin would like.
The trend will therefore continue to strengthen permanently, for example, leading to an oversupply of electricity around midday (there have already been negative electricity prices at the energy exchange!). Wind farms in the north are already being shut down at optimal wind conditions because the grid cannot absorb the power. Even solar systems on private rooftops now have to be remotely switchable by the energy provider, as overproduction at certain times is anticipated here as well. The question remains – what to do with the electricity... We can’t supply all of Europe with energy at noon – not only because the necessary transmission lines are missing. It also takes a very, very long time to build new lines to transport wind power from northern Germany to industrial regions – if they are ever built at all...
Currently, in my opinion, two trends are emerging (both in early stages – it will take another 5-10 years until true market readiness): (1) storing electricity electrochemically – besides conventional batteries, interesting developments such as vanadium redox flow batteries exist; (2) converting electricity into hydrogen or natural gas and feeding it into the existing gas grid.
Both technologies have their justification. Energy utilities (EVUs) still have the responsibility to guarantee supply security and electricity quality. As the efficiency of electrochemical storage improves, it will become increasingly attractive for EVUs to use these for decentral buffering of peak loads (production and consumption). Where else should all the power go during bright sunshine and strong wind? And how should peak demand be met in the evening when there is no wind, even if the necessary transmission lines are built? Private individuals will not join forces to build a storage system – EVUs will do that on their own. These storage units will be about the size of transformer substations, which are already found on every street corner, and we will hardly notice them any more than we notice those substations.
Conversion into methane gas will probably be used more in large wind and solar parks (technically much more complex) – electrochemical storage makes little sense here.
As I said – not some investor groups, but the EVUs themselves. In addition, there are nationwide tests running to link decentralized energy producers (mainly combined heat and power plants) into one virtual power plant. And that seems to work quite well...
Sure, a certain percentage will store their own batteries in the basement – but that will continue to be a negligible share. After all, private investors also primarily look at profitability! Idealists willing to accept negative returns are indeed the exception 😀
What was that again about childlike faith??? :p
It’s not about size, but about the technology! 😀
Investment costs vs. service life vs. return – currently that still results in a red figure... Let’s see what it looks like in 5 years.
Best regards
Micha 😎
Bauexpert schrieb:
Chuckles ... Mother Nature, may you keep your childlike faith
That doesn’t necessarily have anything to do with childlike faith... Even if our environmental Norbert further scales back subsidies for renewable energy (which I think is necessary and good – only the implementation is disastrous), the expansion of renewables will still be significantly higher in the future than the know-it-alls in Berlin would like.
The trend will therefore continue to strengthen permanently, for example, leading to an oversupply of electricity around midday (there have already been negative electricity prices at the energy exchange!). Wind farms in the north are already being shut down at optimal wind conditions because the grid cannot absorb the power. Even solar systems on private rooftops now have to be remotely switchable by the energy provider, as overproduction at certain times is anticipated here as well. The question remains – what to do with the electricity... We can’t supply all of Europe with energy at noon – not only because the necessary transmission lines are missing. It also takes a very, very long time to build new lines to transport wind power from northern Germany to industrial regions – if they are ever built at all...
Currently, in my opinion, two trends are emerging (both in early stages – it will take another 5-10 years until true market readiness): (1) storing electricity electrochemically – besides conventional batteries, interesting developments such as vanadium redox flow batteries exist; (2) converting electricity into hydrogen or natural gas and feeding it into the existing gas grid.
Both technologies have their justification. Energy utilities (EVUs) still have the responsibility to guarantee supply security and electricity quality. As the efficiency of electrochemical storage improves, it will become increasingly attractive for EVUs to use these for decentral buffering of peak loads (production and consumption). Where else should all the power go during bright sunshine and strong wind? And how should peak demand be met in the evening when there is no wind, even if the necessary transmission lines are built? Private individuals will not join forces to build a storage system – EVUs will do that on their own. These storage units will be about the size of transformer substations, which are already found on every street corner, and we will hardly notice them any more than we notice those substations.
Conversion into methane gas will probably be used more in large wind and solar parks (technically much more complex) – electrochemical storage makes little sense here.
Bauexperte schrieb:
Decentralized energy supply has existed in the form of combined heat and power plants for quite some time. Where smaller residential developments are realized by an investor group, it works very well – it’s a good alternative! On the open market: no chance. The problem is: you have two parties sitting in front of you and at least five opinions ...
As I said – not some investor groups, but the EVUs themselves. In addition, there are nationwide tests running to link decentralized energy producers (mainly combined heat and power plants) into one virtual power plant. And that seems to work quite well...
Bauexperte schrieb:
Since the average German likes to do their own thing, I am more in favor of small-scale self-sufficiency.
Sure, a certain percentage will store their own batteries in the basement – but that will continue to be a negligible share. After all, private investors also primarily look at profitability! Idealists willing to accept negative returns are indeed the exception 😀
Bauexpert schrieb:
I am also not sure that the profitability of an investment should be the sole focus of every consideration.
What was that again about childlike faith??? :p
Bauexpert schrieb:
And … the battery is not that large either, comparable to a simple American refrigerator without a water connection.
It’s not about size, but about the technology! 😀
Investment costs vs. service life vs. return – currently that still results in a red figure... Let’s see what it looks like in 5 years.
Best regards
Micha 😎
B
Bauexperte28 Mar 2012 23:24Hello Micha,
Kind regards
Micha&Dany schrieb:😀
How exactly was that with the childish belief again??? :p
Kind regards
M
Micha&Dany20 Jun 2012 21:44Micha&Dany schrieb:
(The one who will check it out at Intersolar if he has time)So, Intersolar is over, and he actually found the time *g*
Nice system that AZUR presented there.
However, I couldn’t find any clear advantages compared to all the other manufacturers who are currently bringing similar systems to the market.
Okay, maybe AZUR is genuinely a step ahead and really has a finished system with all tests completed (according to their own statement).
Maybe others will be at AZUR’s level in 3-6 months. Could be. But of course, it might also just be marketing—I haven’t verified it :p
In general, I think such energy management systems for private homes are a great thing. I would almost consider getting one myself.
Why only almost?
No matter the manufacturer, all these systems require an integrated energy storage. This company uses lead-gel batteries. Sure, because no one really wants lithium-ion batteries in their house!
But no matter which batteries are used, they all still have a limited service life—and therefore high follow-up costs—not to mention the environmental impact of their disposal.
A very well-known battery manufacturer (V****) presented a battery management system at Intersolar that significantly extends the lifespan and the long-term total capacity of such storage banks. That’s definitely a step in the right direction.
However, for me, such systems will only become truly interesting when we move away from conventional battery technologies.
New storage media are necessary—and once these reach market maturity (and become affordable), I will get such a system as well! 😀
Best regards
Micha 😎
Similar topics