OREANDA-NEWS.   At Intersolar Europe 2014 (June 4-6) in Munich, Bosch will show how smart connectivity can be implemented for electrical and thermal energy using a photovoltaic system combined with the latest in heat pump technology. Bosch will be demonstrating the solution using the SWI-2 heat pump made by Bosch Thermotechnology brand Junkers. This solution allows users to consume the lion's share of the electricity they themselves generate from solar power in their own homes – which dramatically reduces their electricity costs – while also powering the heat pump so it can extract heat from air, water, or the ground and convert it into energy that can be used for heating or hot water. The Bosch system features an energy management system that knows when the heat pump requires electricity and – provided there has been enough sunshine – answers that need with solar power.

At the heart of the smart control system is e.Control, which is connected to the household's electricity meter and monitors power flows within the home. The system is designed to always prioritize supply to any home appliances currently in operation. Should the photovoltaic system connected to a Bosch inverter generate any surplus power, e.Control sends a signal to the heat pump to heat the hot water tank. This means optimum use is made of the household's solar power, since it avoids feeding any surplus electricity into the grid at too cheap a price. What's more, it relieves the public grid.

Integration of electricity storage makes consumers largely self-sufficient
Integrating Bosch Power Tec BPT-S 5 Hybrid storage into this energy system further boosts the degree to which a household can make use of self-generated electricity from the photovoltaic system. Even when the sky is overcast or after sunset, the storage system continues to provide the heat pump with a reliable supply of electricity. If the storage system has been integrated, any surplus electricity is sent to the powerful lithium-ion batteries before a signal is sent to the heat pump. When the hot water tank is heated, electrical power is converted into thermal energy, which in effect increases the stored energy. So running such a system is a large step toward achieving independence from the public grid.

Controlling highly efficient air/water heat pumps via smartphone
At Intersolar, Bosch will also be presenting the new Junkers Supraeco SAO-2 modulating air/water heat pump – one of the first on the market to feature a modulating exterior unit. Thanks to a speed-controlled compressor, the Supraeco SAO-2 always supplies only as much energy as is required. This inverter technology makes the heat pump 11 percent more efficient than previous models. Its reduced electricity consumption is reflected in a drop in CO2 emissions, and it is easily adapted to use in detached or semi-detached houses. As standard, the heat circuit's flow temperature never exceeds 62 degrees Celsius during heat pump operation. The Supraeco SAO-2 can actively cool rooms and can be operated via the internet without having to install any additional hardware. The IP gateway required for web communication is already integrated, paving the way for convenient operation via smartphone or tablet. Junkers will soon be introducing its heat pump app JunkersHome. The Supraeco SAO-2 has also been classed “smart grid ready.”

Electricity storage/battery system for pioneering housing complex
Bosch Energy Storage Solutions will also be at Intersolar, presenting a modular, safe, and turnkey storage solution for housing complexes. The Bosch turnkey storage system uses lithium-ion technology, is around 7 meters wide, 0.6 meters deep, and 1.8 meters tall, and is designed to be installed in an electrical services room. Its capacity and electronics are tailored to the requirements of the complex's power grid. Thanks to its power of 50 kilowatts, the battery can be fully charged or discharged in two hours. Its inverter enables it both to feed electricity into to the grid and to recharge from it. The means by which the battery system is controlled, in combination with Bosch's expertise in the right way to charge and discharge batteries, extends the battery's operating life. Bosch designs, develops, and builds storage systems on a variety of scales all the way up to the megawatt-hour range. Bosch is supplying just such an adaptable energy storage system to a housing complex comprising 180 row houses currently being built in Kelsterbach near Frankfurt. The storage system has an installed capacity of 135 kilowatt hours, which is enough to power ten average four-person households for a day.