PROINSO is to present its PV-diesel hybrid systems at the Genset Meeting 2014, the 1st professional meeting focusing on gensets, to be held in Madrid on 11 February. Supported by SMA, PROINSO Sales Manager Oscar Perez will talk about PV-Diesel, hybrid systems that cut kWh costs.

PROINSO is betting strongly on R and D and working to increase sales of PV-DIESEL hybrid systems, which combine PV panels and a diesel generator as backup power source. The multinational has presented and started selling these solutions in countries like Brazil or India.

According to Oscar Perez, 'the hybridisation of traditional power generators like gensets with PV systems reduces power generation costs.' He added that as less fuel is used with hybrid systems, 'more investment is likely to be made in gensets, thus widening the potential market for PV-diesel hybrid systems.'

The PV-DIESEL systems by PROINSO include modules from leading brands, three-phase or central inverters from SMA, a fuel save controller from SMA also, and structures from MECASOLAR. In addition, PROINSO does the installation sizing to estimate the PV nominal power in kWp that should be used considering the power (kVA) of the diesel engine available.

PROINSO's PV-DIESEL hybrid systems can be used with diesel engines from 300kVA, which admit a 210kWp PV installation, to 6MVA, which require a 4.1MWp panel installation. The solution can operate with five engines in parallel.

The PV-DIESEL systems from PROINSO help users save from 66,000L/year with 300kVA engines and a 210kWp PV system operating 365 days a year, depending on radiation zone, installation dimensions, and the number of hours the engine is on. Moreover, using hybrid solutions protects users from fuel price rises and fuel shortages.

Advantages
With the smart technology featured by the system, PV elements perfectly integrate to the genset. The PV-DIESEL hybrid systems produce power at lower costs and more efficiently than systems made up of combustion engines only.

+ Cost reduction due to lower fuel consumption.

+ Lower impact of fuel price rises or power shortages thanks to planning optimisation.

+ Reliable power supply 24/7/365, with a combination of PV panels and diesel engines.

+ Users can still use the diesel gensets installed in their facilities, as the new systems adapt to previous installations.

+ Considerable reduction of annual diesel consumption and lower diesel generator maintenance costs due to less wear and tear; some engines can even be done away with.

+ Lower genset load means longer life cycle.

+ No power storage needed (optional).

+ More safety and higher power quality for machines/loads.

+ Lower electricity costs, ensuring lower production/operation costs.

+ Better compliance with renewable energy purchase obligation (RPO).

+ Hybrid systems can be used to generate renewable energy certificates (RECs) exchangeable at power exchanges.