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Picea 2 relies on lithium instead of lead

Picea 2 relies on lithium instead of lead

HPS presents new product generation

The company HPS Home Power Solutions has unveiled a new generation of its seasonal energy storage system. The Picea 2 now uses lithium batteries, which makes installation in the home easier due to the lower weight. With twice the power, the appliance is also equipped for e-mobility and heat pumps.

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The new research and development site is located almost directly next to the youth center of FC Union Berlin in an industrial area in Berlin-Niederschöneweide. In the future, not only kickers but also installers and partners will be trained there. But not only that; the new version of the seasonal storage unit is also to be manufactured there. “On-site installation is even more cost-effective for us, as the transport costs come out lower,” stated company founder and CEO Zeyad Abul-Ella – left in December 2023 and since then only still a shareholder – at the first presentation of the new device to an exclusive circle of visitors.

Nine years after its founding and a good five years after the first presentation of a Picea model at the trade fair Energy Storage in Düsseldorf 2018, there is a whole series of further developments of the product. The device has needed to change with the times. With Picea 2, the output power has therefore doubled to 15 kilowatts, which makes it possible to cover higher energy requirements, for example for an e-car or a heat pump. In the event of a power failure, the backup power supply ensures that important installations in the household are supplied with a stable power supply. “For each of the three phases of the three-phase current, the device now delivers five kilowatts of power,” explained Abul-Ella.

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The new generation of the storage system also offers an increased connected load for photovoltaic systems – picking up on the trend in the market. Through new power electronics, according to HPS, efficiency was able to be increased, which means that higher levels of self-sufficiency are now possible. The energy utilization efficiency (Nutzungsgrad) including heat utilization is 90 percent. The electrical efficiency is between 35 and 40 percent.

Cooperation with competent partners

The device now uses an external inverter from SofarSolar, in which the software for the storage system has accordingly been adapted. “We do what we are really good at. For all other components, we rely on cooperation with partners,” said trained civil engineer Abul-Ella. The latter applies to both the inverter and the lithium batteries.

The AEM electrolyzer comes from the German-Italian company Enapter. The abbreviation AEM stands for anion exchange membrane. The technology uses more cost-effective materials such as steel instead of titanium and combines the advantages of alkaline electrolysis with the flexibility and compactness of PEM electrolysis. Enapter co-founder Vaitea Cowan was also present at the product launch, and Hans-Peter Villis, former EnBW (Energie Baden-Württemberg AG) director as well as partner from the very beginning and today chairman of the supervisory board at HPS.

Specifications for developers

“A tough requirement for the technical developers was to retain the dimensions for the slide-in boxes for the electrolyzer and the fuel cell in the energy center of the original Picea,” stressed Abul-Ella. The first Picea customers are pioneers. They should therefore also benefit from the innovations and be able to switch to them easily at a later date. A further development in the electrolysis module cools the hydrogen to 5 °C. This makes it possible to take in four to five times the amount of gas, because the moisture is now removed before storage.

New are also status displays that, at the touch of a button on the device or via the app, provide information about important system and storage statuses. The system always consists of an energy center and a hydrogen storage tank with a compressor that is installed outside the house on a concrete foundation. This foundation is absolutely essential.

The energy center unit has slimmed down considerably and now weighs 70 percent less: instead of 2.2 metric tons, now only 700 kilograms (1540 lbs). Reason is the switch from lead-acid to lithium batteries from the company Pylontech. The overall height has also reduced by 15 centimeters compared to its predecessor to 1.85 meters (6.07 ft). Doesn’t sound like much, but can be decisive for installation in a basement.

The Picea 2 costs at minimum 99,900 euros

The Picea module converts the surplus solar power in summer into hydrogen. In this way, large amounts of energy can be stored efficiently and over long periods of time. In winter, the gas, via a fuel cell, can be converted back into electricity and heat. The long-term storage capacity is up to 1,500 kilowatt-hours of electricity. In the smallest version with 16 gas cylinders, it is 300 kilowatt-hours.

The smallest version of the Picea 2 costs 99,900 euros. The gross price is the same as the net price, as the sales tax for the device, including storage units, is zero percent. With more storage capacity, the cost rises to up to 140,000 euros. This applies to a new construction where the installation can also be planned. In existing buildings, it can be a bit more complicated, so the amount may increase to up to 160,000 euros.

The demand seems to be there. Because over 500 devices of the first generation have been sold to date. More than 100 are installed at customers’ spaces.

Author: Niels Hendrik Petersen

Axel Funke moving to Apex

Axel Funke moving to Apex

The Apex Group is expanding its management team from five to six people. Starting the new year, Axel Funke will be chief technology officer, and will be responsible for the division project handling and engineering. The 58-year-old mechanical engineer has been active in plant engineering for 30 years, and previously worked for companies such as Bilfinger, Thyssenkrupp Industrial Solutions and Linde. He directed, among other things, large international projects in the energy sector and, for example, while at Thyssenkrupp Industrial Solutions participated in the planning and design of the project HyLIOS, which included the delivery of a 2.2‑GW electrolyzer to Neom, Saudi Arabia.

Apex has belonged for one year to the Exceet Group. Roland Lienau, chairman of Exceet, said: “Following the recent appointment of Bert Althaus as CFO, the management is now staffed across all areas with top personnel. Also on the operational side, Apex has hired more than 20 engineers since the acquisition by Exceet in January 2023. We are therefore equipped to realize our growth strategy.”

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Weichai Power: Strong share price increase

Weichai Power: Strong share price increase

The share price of Weichai Power has risen by almost 50 percent in the last few weeks. The reason is the partnership with BYD in the electrification of large vehicle fleets. A perfect joint venture, it seems. Weichai Power with BYD could – my guess – be pushing the door open to fuel cells, since alongside battery-electric trucks and other commercial vehicles, the fuel cell is perfect for long-haul journeys.

Weichai has a joint venture with Ballard Power in China (51:49), with a capacity of already 20,000 FC modules per year. And Weichai will be one of the main beneficiaries when in China a large subsidy program for fuel cells and hydrogen comes – maybe 2024 or 2025. Weichai is China’s largest diesel engine manufacturer, which is now moving towards e-mobility – comparable with Cummins Engine in the USA. Weichai is also cooperating with Bosch.

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Disclaimer

Each investor must always be aware of their own risk when investing in shares and should consider a sensible risk diversification. The FC companies and shares mentioned here are small and mid cap, i.e. they are not standard stocks and their volatility is also much higher. This report is not meant to be viewed as purchase recommendations, and the author holds no liability for your actions. All information is based on publicly available sources and, as far as assessment is concerned, represents exclusively the personal opinion of the author, who focuses on medium- and long-term valuation and not on short-term profit. The author may be in possession of the shares presented here.

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A hydrogen system for all

A hydrogen system for all

Polish company Virtud shows the way

About 20 years ago, solar power and Passivhaus design captured the imagination of one Polish couple. At the time, Dorota and Piotr Napierała regularly traveled to Freiburg in Germany where they got to know the pioneers of photovoltaic technology. “I got loads of ideas there. It was a time of awakening. We converged at trade fairs and exchanged our visions and ideas. There was a fantastic atmosphere,” enthuses Piotr Napierała. The Passivhaus concept in particular made a lasting impression on him. Today he continues to focus on the advantages of efficient microgrids and energy island solutions. “Put simply, it’s what excites me. On my Freiburg visits I enjoyed looking at the solutions from Hydrogenics and discussing them with the people there. I like small closed structures that I can optimize,” explains the physicist.

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Virtud owners Dorota and Piotr Napierała have a clear goal: The annual energy costs of the Virtud hydrogen house should not exceed PLN 500, which is roughly equivalent to EUR 123. Piotr doesn’t set much store by grandiose projects and is also not convinced by the pumped-up hydrogen plans put forward by many well-known corporations. He believes that a lot can be achieved, especially when it comes to hydrogen, by taking multiple small, precisely tailored actions at a local level.

Huge potential in Polish PV sector

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The Napierałas welcome their visiting business partners and prospective clients to a smart, white new build constructed on the Virtud premises in a suburb of Poznań. Now proprietors of a photovoltaic installation business, the husband and wife team have previously owned several companies within the renewables sector. Their specialization in PV technology began in 2015. The pair see the development of the Virtud hydrogen system as a logical continuation that will help spread renewable energy across world – and especially in Poland where the PV industry is currently booming.

At the end of January this year, the total installed capacity for PV plants in Germany’s eastern neighbor was over 12.5 gigawatts. In the previous year the figure was just 7.6 gigawatts. In other words, the photovoltaic capacity in Poland has almost doubled within 12 months. Consequently, solar power accounts for a good 54 percent of overall renewable energy capacity in Poland.

Car batteries store solar power

However, the massive increase in electricity generation from photovoltaics also brings enormous challenges for the industry. The main hurdle is how to store energy overnight and during the less sunny seasons of fall and winter.

Virtud has managed to solve these problems by taking an unusual approach. Instead of spending exorbitant sums on energy storage, for a relatively small outlay at auction the company bought large numbers of secondhand batteries that were previously used in Nissan Leaf cars, a popular model in Poland. The batteries are combined into packs that store solar power produced during the day, allowing it to be released again at nighttime. Piotr Napierała reckons that the solution including the electric car batteries costs only a twelfth of the price of a new energy storage solution.

For those wanting to bridge the fluctuations between the summer and winter months, batteries alone will not suffice. This is where hydrogen comes in. “We use the sun and wind to produce green hydrogen which acts as the energy carrier at those times of year when demand is highest,” the entrepreneur says.

Evolution of the energy sector

The Napierałas are certain that the renewables sector will continue to evolve and that hydrogen is merely a logical step. As businesspeople, they have been involved in many stages of the renewable energy trend and have repeatedly noticed how dynamic the process is. This also applies to the bureaucratic and legal sides, as Dorota Napierała remarks. She is responsible for all approvals and application requests in the company. “We have a long learning journey ahead of us with regard to hydrogen,” she says.

Recent decades have seen the introduction of many highly complex renewables laws in Poland. Electricity feed-in to the grid was made possible in 2014. This was a completely new world in terms of accounting and administration. Dorota Napierała spent a great deal of time in meetings and on the phone to the relevant authorities until both sides fully took the new legislation on board. “It’s always a learning process. We learn from each other. It will be similar with hydrogen. The authorities have become much more open now. If there are any queries or uncertainty, they actually phone up and you go through the forms again. For years we’ve been part of a two-sided education and communication process. That makes everything easier,” Dorota Napierała explains.

A model for the future

Looking around the show house, an energy-efficient 200-square-meter (2,150-square-feet) building, it’s not just the use of solar power and a heat pump that is noticeable. The large area to the right of the entrance also catches the eye. This is where the 2.4-kilowatt electrolyzer is located. Supplied by German manufacturer Enapter, it’s the first electrolyzer installed by Piotr Napierała. “Many, many more are due to follow,” says the co-proprietor. Other technical kit is also housed in the modular cabinet, including water purification equipment. But there is still enough room for additional electrolyzers.

Access is currently being created from the demonstration area to the hydrogen tank, which is already on order. This will make it possible to refuel vehicles with hydrogen. That’s the next job on Piotr Napierała’s list.

Author: Aleksandra Fedorska

Green full supply all year round

Green full supply all year round

HPS inaugurates home with solar hydrogen storage system

In Schöneiche, a suburb east of Berlin, the first self-sufficient hydrogen house is starting practical testing. A solar year-round storage tank should cover the demand for the modern timber house. The goal of the FlexEhome research project is to show how a home can be self-sufficient with electricity and heat if it is suitably well insulated. In the scope of this project, the participants are also testing grid-serving services.

The photovoltaic system of the brand new single-family home in the street Schillerstraße was deliberately designed to be very large with a total output of almost 30 kilowatts – so it can generate a solar energy surplus for the production of clean hydrogen. Currently, most buildings with photovoltaic systems and batteries produce too much electricity in the summer, however, not enough in the winter months. So far, there is no seasonal storage.

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In a practical test, the FlexEhome research project will now demonstrate that it can be done differently: Electricity should only be released into the grid or taken out when it is also useful for the grid. This is possible due to a significantly larger storage capacity compared to batteries and the production of hydrogen, which can be stored for longer periods of time. Thanks to this flexibility, grid stability is improved and the need for expansion of the decentralised distribution grids is minimised. In this way, the residents of such a building contribute to power grid stability and supply security.

“In the future, such decentralised flexibilities will be indispensable for the success of the energy transition,” emphasised Zeyad Abul-Ella, head and founder of Home Power Solutions (HPS), at the ceremonial presentation of this solar hydrogen house. An essential component of the project is the long-term storage picea from HPS, which stores the surplus electricity from the solar system in the summer in the form of hydrogen by means of electrolysis. In winter, the green gas is converted back into electricity and heat via the fuel cell.

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AEM electrolyser from Enapter

The hydrogen is produced by an AEM electrolyser 2.0 from the German-Italian manufacturer Enapter. The module can start and ramp up relatively quickly. The battery storage is a German-made lead-gel accumulator with a net capacity of 20 kWh. Lead – although a toxic heavy metal – has the advantage that there is already a well-established recycling system – especially for starter batteries from motor vehicles.

Civil engineer Abul-Ella developed the complete system of electrolyser, fuel cell, hydrogen tank as well as lead storage and ventilation unit himself almost ten years ago. However, the picea system is not cheap, costing 120,000 Euro for the full system. Nevertheless, sales of the so-called all-season power storage units have increased strongly in recent months. More than a hundred units are already in operation, and more than 500 have been ordered.

The Berlin-based company can hardly keep up with the orders. The waiting time is currently about twelve months. The production of HPS is therefore to be expanded further. Also because of projects such as FlexEhome: Participating partners are, for example, the heat pump manufacturer Vaillant, the timber house builder Albert Haus and the Technical University of Berlin.

Solar facing to the east-west and south

In order to smooth out the solar harvest from the roof already during production, the majority of the photovoltaic modules with 27.4 kilowatts were installed as a roof-integrated solution facing east-west. In addition, seven modules with a total of 2.4 kilowatts are located on the balcony railing facing to the south. Both together reduce the PV midday peak by 30 percent (see Fig. 2) – and therefore extend the runtime of the electrolyser by four hours per day in summer. “This increases the hydrogen yield by as much as 40 percent,” says Daniel Wolf from HPS. The engineer is the network coordinator of this innovative project.

The electrolyser with a total of four bundles of pressurised gas cylinders, each with an electrical output of 300 kWh (see Fig. 3), is located in a timber house on the north side of the detached house to store the H2 gas from the summer months for the winter months. According to the calculations of Daniel Wolf, the hydrogen storage tank would be completely full again by July. The space heating demand of the almost 150-square-metre home is around 40 percent below that of a KfW55 house. This high insulation standard is also necessary so that the house can supply itself with electricity and heat all year round. This is the key and the basis for full green supply.

But the long-term storage of electricity should also pay off economically in the future – through trading on the electricity market. Because there are very high exchange electricity prices every now and then, as on some days in December 2022, when it was the equivalent of 60 ct/kWh. On the other hand, there is the extreme of negative electricity prices, such as at the beginning of June 2021, when minus 5 ct/kWh was requested. This is where the H2 storage of HPS, which has reserves at all times, could pay off, says Daniel Wolf.

The (TU) Technical University of Berlin monitors all energy flows

The hydrogen is turned back into electricity and heat in a combined heat and power generation plant, where waste heat is also used. In combination with a heat pump, this ensures a year-round supply of the house with self-generated solar power. The interaction with the heat pump in particular will be investigated in greater detail through this project in the coming months.

Soon, a family of four will be living in the project house for rent. They will pay a lower rent compared to the local area, but will have to allow professional visitors and technicians access to the technical room from time to time by appointment. In order to document the full supply and a grid-serving feed-in, over the next few months the TU Berlin will also monitor all energy flows in the house in detail.

The researchers will continue to support the project until at least the end of 2024. In addition to the energy balances, they also look at the CO2 emissions. “In the end, we want to assess whether a building like this is worthwhile for climate protection,” says Alexander Studniorz from the TU Berlin. The scientists are conducting a life cycle analysis for this purpose. The scientist’s assumption is that it is the temporal shift in electricity consumption that will have a positive impact on the CO2 balance. This is because, unlike in homes with a PV system and a battery storage system, no additional grey electricity needs to be drawn from the grid on a cold winter night when many fossil-fuel power plants are in operation. “The seasonal buffer in particular, in combination with the heat pump, therefore guarantees low CO2 emissions all year round,” predicts the TU researcher.

Author: Niels Hendrik Petersen