Demonstration Center 4
Varna
The demo center in Varna, Bulgaria was launched in January 2021 at a local municipal office building. The center showcases a number of CSSC solutions by using solar energy and biomass to cover the electricity and heating needs of the building.
Solar panels have been placed on the roof of the building and the electricity generated is being stored in batteries. Part of the electricity produced is being used by a charging station for electric vehicles. The biomass heating unit installed in the building is employed for its heating while a solar hot water PV system ensures that hot water is available.
It is the only energy positive building at local level and has achieved complete energy self-sufficiency. This means that it no longer relies on the local electricity grid, which tends to be unstable. All in all, the demo allows for an increase in the use of renewable energy, reduced CO2 emissions and a lowering of energy consumption.
The charging station is also available to the local community, provided users download the necessary application. By enabling greater access to the charging station, the demo site plays an active role in making Varna a greener city and transforming its mobility sector!
To summarize, the demo center aims to:
- generate electricity and to save money on electricity bills
- achieve energy independence
- be well equipped to resist sharp rises in energy prices through renewable energy production
- monitor electricity production and consumption in real time
- show that such investments are secure
- prove that buildings can ensure access to electricity even if they are not connected to the local grid!
- demonstrate how carbon footprints can be reduced!
Components of demo center:
- 19,3 kWp PV module systems – 55 PV panels
- 3 Solar charge controller – Smart Solar MPPT 250/100
- 1 Invertor – Victron Multiplus 48/5000/70
- 30,72 kWh Battery BYD Premium LVL – 2 batteries
- 22 kW Pellet boiler Ferroli
- 32 kw CNG boiler – Victrix 35
- 2 Electrical boiler for DHW
- 2 DHW – PV controller ThermoSol;
- 2,5 kWp – Solar hot water PV system
- Monitoring equipment
Different e-charging infrastructure facilities for charging e-vehicles will be implemented on the site. The power range of the charging points is 3.7kW, 11kW, 22kW or 50kW (AC and DC technology), whereby the connection between the vehicle and the charging infrastructure is made using wired technology.
Energy consumption has steadily been increasing in recent years due to growing demand linked to improved living standards, the construction boom and a greater number of consumers. Since the energy supply network was not designed to cover this increased demand, disruptions in electricity supply have become more frequent. At the same time, a spike in energy prices has been observed.
Using photovoltaics and batteries makes it possible to unload the energy network and to simultaneously increase the quality and security of the electricity being supplied. Moreover, it partly guarantees that the price of the energy being consumed remains constant since the demo center is in charge of its own production.
The main challenge of the demo center is how to combine the PV panels, invertors, batteries and boilers on the one hand and the energy consumers as well as the energy management system on the other. Moreover, it is important that the entire system remain financially viable.
Thanks to the concept applied in the demo center, it can be entirely energy positive, which means that it can produce more energy on-site (from renewables) than it consumes while maintaining comfortable temperature levels around the clock throughout the year.
Since it is an energy positive building, it is presumed that the building’s energy consumption should suffice to cover heating, cooling, ventilation, dehumidification, domestic hot water and integrated lighting systems. In addition, to qualify as energy positive, the renewable energy should also be produced on-site. For larger energy positive buildings, services such as elevators should also be included in the consumption supplied by on-site renewables.
Feasibility study and detailed planning of demo-center
07/2020
Technical specification of components
09/2020
Procurement of components
09/2020
Purchase and delivery of components
11/2020
Installation of components
12/2020
Initial operation of demo-center
01/2021
A few key performance indicators were identified for the demo center, which will be covered in the “live data” section of the platform. The purpose of this live data is to enable beneficiaries to track the implementation of the demo center.
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