Israeli storage and inverter manufacturer Solaredge Technologies, Inc. and Munich-based Solation GmbH have unveiled a »virtual battery« concept for multi-tenant commercial buildings in Germany. The virtual battery concept developed by Solation complies with the German Tenant Electricity Ordinance and maximises the consumption of solar energy, according to a statement from the companies. In return for Solation’s use of their roof space for solar energy, landlords and tenants receive a guaranteed ten per cent reduction on their energy costs.
The roof-mounted solar system financed by Solation supplies the entire building with electricity, including the common areas and the offices of all tenants. The idea is that not every tenant decides to participate in the solar programme. However, the share of solar power that non-participants could have consumed is not lost, but is instead treated as »virtually stored« and later allocated to participating tenants. »This way, those tenants enjoy a greater share of local solar energy, the building’s self-consumption increases significantly – and it all happens without the need for a physical battery,« according to the companies. Solation manages the project from start to finish – from planning and installation to operation and billing tenants.
»Multi-tenant commercial buildings remain a largely untapped market for solar, not because of missing rooftop space but due to regulatory and accounting hurdles,« explains Sebastian Hugl, CEO of Solation. »When landlords sell rooftop solar power directly to tenants, they risk losing valuable tax benefits and face highly complex billing structures. Compared to simpler asset classes such as logistics properties, this makes the implementation of tenant solar models far more challenging.«
The first location with a virtual battery from Solation and SolarEdge is now in operation at FRIO3, a new multi-tenant commercial building in the Weilimdorf industrial park in Stuttgart (photo). The building, which houses an animal rights organisation and several engineering firms, among others, consumes 270,000 kilowatt hours (kWh) annually. The photovoltaic system with 222 solar modules on the roof is expected to generate 95,000 kWh per year. With the help of the new virtual metering system, the building uses 83 per cent of the solar energy produced daily, while the surplus energy is sold to the grid.
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