Electrical energy management for low-voltage clients

Due to the increasing frequency of short grid failures since the liberalization of energy market and the interest for new energy recourses such as wind and sun, the idea grow to make an energy management system that combines UPS functionality and renewable energy sources to cover grid failure. We found an invertor/charger combination capable for this purpose and used lead batteries as energy buffer. Tests were performed to use small wind turbines and photovoltaic cells to charge the batteries. In Flanders very small wind turbines cannot be used economically due to the low wind speed. Photovoltaic cells are much more interesting: they generate more energy for the same installed power and the Flemish government grants a subsidy for photovoltaic installations. The final combination of photovoltaic cells and the energy buffer is practical realised in our lab.