9/24/2018 Guide to sizing hybrid inverters and off-grid solar battery systems — Clean Energy Reviews

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Guide To Sizing Hybrid Inverters And O -

Grid Solar Battery Systems

June 3, 2015 · Jason Svarc

Diagram - Basic configuration of an AC coupled hybrid grid-connected power system

This is a guide only. For a less technical introduction see the

basic guide to selecting home grid-tie or off-grid solar battery
system. Solar and battery storage systems must be installed by
an experienced licensed electrical professional. Solar and
Energy storage systems generate and store huge amounts of
energy which can result in damage or serious injury if the
installation does not meet all relevant regulations, standards &
guidelines.

How to select a hybrid/o -grid inverter

Modern hybrid & energy storage systems have many specifications to consider
before selecting and sizing an appropriate battery inverter/charger, hybrid solar
inverter, or complete hybrid system with integrated battery storage. Here we
help explain the key requirements which should be considered.

1. Inverter power output - continuous and surge rating (kW)

2. Solar PV array size (kW)
3. Pass through power (A)
4. Battery compatibility - System voltage and battery type
5. Configuration - AC or DC coupled

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6. Software and energy management

1. Inverter Power Output

There are two main types of modern hybrid/off-grid inverters which are
available in various sizes having different continuous and peak power ratings,
measured in kW or kVA.

1. Off-grid battery inverter/chargers with heavy duty transformers are more

expensive but provide very high surge and peak power output and can
handle high inductive loads, explained in more detail below.
2. Hybrid all-in-one inverter systems use transformer-less inverters with
'switching transistors'. These lightweight inverters have lower surge and
peak power output capability but are more cost effective as they are
cheaper and easier to manufacture.

* Comparison of various all-in-one hybrid inverters and the Interactive inverters/chargers from Selectronic
and Victron Energy. To be used as a guide only - refer to manufacturers specifications for full details.

Continuous Power Output

Most battery inverters (hybrid or Inverter/charger) are available in a wide range
of sizes determined by the continuous output power rating measured in kW.

The inverter should be matched (sized) slighly higher than the load or power
demand of the appliances it will be powering. Due to temperature de-rating the
inverter should be at least 1.2 times larger than the continuous summer demand.
Depending on the application this is often the most important specification to be
considered when selecting a hybrid inverter especially when using a hybrid
inverter as a back-up power source for dedicated or essential loads. Whether
the loads are inductive or resistive is also very important and must be taken
into account.

Note some inverters power ratings are provided in kVA which

can be misleading. The general conversion ratio used for kVA to
kW is kVA*0.8 = kW. For example a 5kVA inverter equates to
roughly a 4kW inverter power rating.

For off-grid installations the inverter sizing is critical and must be sized to meet
the full load (demand) under all conditions. As mentioned the temperature
derating is especially important as the inverter output is derated (reduced) at
higher ambient temperatures, for example a 6kW inverter which is rated and

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20degC may only output a continuous power of 4.8kW at 40degC. This de-rating
factor must be taken into account, especially in warmer climates.

Surge or Peak Power Output

The surge or peak power output is very important for off-grid systems but not
always critical for a hybrid system. If you plan on powering high surge appliances
such as water pumps, compressors, washing machines and power tools the
inverter must be able to handle the high inductive surge loads.

The amount of time the inverter can maintain the surge power output is also very
important, but can be misleading depending on how it is described by the
manufacturer. For example some inverters may specify the surge output of say
8kW while others may specify 8kW for 60 seconds. Generally the high-end multi-
mode or interactive inverters have the highest surge ratings for the longest
amount of time. The Selectronic SP PRO is known to have the highest surge
rating of any battery inverter/charger on the market.

Backup Power Output - Continuous

As highlighted in the chart above many all-in-one hybrid inverters have reduced
or limited backup power when operating in backup or emergency supply mode.
This can also be further limited by the battery capacity output rating depending
on the battery size used. However there are several all-in-one hybrid inverters
(Solax, Redback & SolarEdge) do not have reduced power output in backup
mode. The dedicated battery inverter/chargers (interactive inverters) such as the
Selectronic SP PRO and Victron Multiplus do not have any such limitations.

2. Solar Array Size - Solar PV Input

After sizing the PV array based on the energy consumption profile, location,
losses, etc (as calculated by a solar professional) the next step is to determine
the maximum solar array size in kW based on the specific hybrid or off-grid
system used, which is usually limited by the inverter size. For off-grid systems
the battery capacity (kWh) must also be considered when sizing the solar array.

Most hybrid systems have an intergrated solar inverter or MPPT. If the hybrid
system contains a solar inverter, such as an all-in-one hybrid inverter, this will
determine the maximum size solar array which can be used with the system
(usually around 6-7kW). In comparison the high-end interactive battery
inverter/chargers such as the SP PRO and Victron Multiplus can work with
multiple solar inverters or DC regulators in both AC or DC coupled
configurations. These systems can accommodate much larger solar arrays,
which can also be expanded at a later stage if required.

3. Pass Through Power

The pass through power feature enables the inverter to supply additional power
from the grid under high loads, when the batteries are low and when solar
energy is not available. The ability to pass through additional power from the
grid (or generator in an off-grid system) can greatly simplify the installation by
not requiring separation of essential and non-essential loads. Note: Generally
only high-end hybrid/off-grid interactive inverter/chargers can pass through
additional power from the grid or be connected to a back-up generator.
Selectronic, Victron Energy and Schneider electric all have pass through power
capability.

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4. Compatible Battery Type

Before the release of affordable lithium battery systems most battery inverters
where designed to operate with the widely available lead-acid batteries (Gel,
AGM & flooded). Lead-acid batteries are far more common but are larger, heavier
and can emit gases which require ventilation, whereas lithium-ion batteries are
lighter, more compact and are considered safe to store inside a garage. Most
lithium battery systems have an integrated battery management system (BMS)
which requires an inverter with compatible communications (network protocol) to
operate safely and efficiently.

There are several 'non-managed' lithium LFP battery systems which do not
require BMS communications to the inverter and will function much like a lead-
acid battery system, these include Simpliphi PHI and GenZ LFP battery modules.

Battery Voltage
All hybrid/off-grid inverters are designed to be used with a specific nominal DC
battery voltage, the most common being 48V. Since most lithium battery systems
are 48V this is not a problem, however many small capacity inverters use 12V or
24V so these may only be compatible with lead-acid battery banks of the same
voltage. Selectronic, SMA and Schneider have a range of high-end 48V
hybrid/off-grid inverters while Victron Energy and Outback Power supply both
dedicated 12V, 24V & 48V off-grid inverters.

The first Tesla Powerwall was one of the first battery systems to operate at a
high voltage (400V) and is connected in-line with the solar array which generally
operates at a similar voltage (300-500V). The SolarEdge StorEdge and Fronius
Symo hybrid (3-phase) inverters both work with the high voltage battery systems.

Note: Unlike the traditional DC coupled solar controllers or regulators, all

modern hybrid inverters cannot work with multiple battery voltages.

Battery Capacity - KWh

Battery capacity is measured in kWh (kilowatt/hour) and is the total amount of
energy a battery system can store, however depending on the battery type and
specifications not all of the capacity is usable energy. Common Lead-acid deep-
cycle batteries (AGM & Gel) should only be used or discharged to 40-50% of
total capacity, whereas Lithium-ion and new generation battery technologies can
be discharged up to 80-100%. Therefore the battery type and capacity needs to
be carefully selected to cater to the energy requirements.

Hybrid Vs Off-grid - A typical grid-connected home with peak (evening) energy

use from 5pm until midnight might average 8 kWh, roughly a 12 kWh lithium
battery would be sufficient. However for off-grid systems the battery system will
need to be able to store enough energy for 3 or more days of bad weather. With
an average (efficient) 3 bedroom home using 10-15kWh over a whole day this
may require a much larger, very expensive 50-80kWh battery system.

Hybrid Example: If peak energy use (from 6-12pm) was 6kWh then the system
would require roughly 14-16kWh lead-acid battery or 7-8kWh lithium battery
system to adequately cover peak energy consumption.

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5. Con guration - AC Or DC Coupled

As solar battery systems became larger and more advanced AC coupled
systems evolved as one of the best configurations due to the use of low cost,
easy to install string solar inverters. Most modern off-grid AC coupled systems
use advanced bi-directional multi-mode inverters coupled with one or more
compatible solar inverters. AC coupled systems are generally more efficient
during the day when there is high AC power demand such as air-conditioning
systems, modern kitchen appliances and pool pumps.

However the new generation high voltage DC coupled battery systems (400V)
are becoming more and more popular with the growing range of advanced HV
hybrid inverters now on the market.

See the complete AC vs DC coupled system review article.

6. Software And Energy Management

To enable hybrid or off-grid power systems to optimise energy use and prolong
battery life a high level of power management and battery monitoring is
required. The software used to run hybrid/off-grid systems thus require
advanced energy management and monitoring capabilities and this is where the
high-end Interactive inverters really shine as they have the most advanced
software packages and built-in control systems such as relays plus digital inputs
and outputs. These systems also incorporate specialised battery monitoring and
temperature sensors to prolong battery life when used with lead-acid battery
banks.

Example of logged data from a Redback technologies hybrid inverter - Image credit Redback Portal

Several advanced hybrid inverters such as those from SolarEdge and Redback
Technologies also include smart control features. For additional monitoring and
control add on energy monitoring systems like Reposit Power can provide more
advanced remote monitoring and smart control features.

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Complete hybrid systems with built-in battery storage also utilise advanced
energy management systems and sensors however some of the low cost all-in-
one hybrid inverters have limited capabilities which can result in less efficient
use of stored energy.

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See our Hybrid/off-grid inverter and energy storage summary for direct
comparison of all available hybrid and energy storage systems:

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tags / hybrid solar system, hybrid solar inverter, hybrid solar storage, what is a hybrid
solar system, How to select a hybrid inverter, Hybrid solar inverter features, Solar
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Fadhila 2 months ago · 0 Likes

I want to ask about the lifespan of the off-grid inverter

Jason Svarc 2 months ago · 0 Likes

Good Question Fadhila,

I would estimate the lifespan of lower cost transformerless inverters
would be about 10-12 years while the higher end interactive
inverter/chargers such as Victron, SMA, Outback, Selectronic & Schneider
could last 12-20 years or more.

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