Hybrid Generators

Hybrid generators don't just beat traditional generator-only installations in the business sense - they're better in virtually every other imaginable parameter. A hybrid system significantly reduces fuel consumption, emissions, noise, service intervals and overall logistics while providing uninterrupted clean power at all times. Join the generator revolution with the power of know-how by your side. See our Hybrid Generator Brochure for a full overview of the Victron offering and solutions.

Venus OS v3.00 – Generator start/stop improvements, ESS Peak shaving

Good day! Today we are releasing Venus OS v3.00. For those not familiar with Venus OS: it is the software running on our Cerbo GX monitoring system , as well as its predecessors the Color Control GX , Venus GX . Also, it is in the GX versions of our MultiPlus-II and EasySolar-II inverter/chargers. This new release has improvements in the following main areas: Several improvements to the GX Generator start/stop functionality Peak shaving, and improved control speed for ESS Disable the touch feature on a GX Touch Let’s go into the details: Improvements to Generator control There are several new generator start/stop related improvements. Firstly, warm-up and cool-down options have been added. This allows you to set a configurable time for the generator to run from the relay control, while the AC input relay is open and the inverter/charger is not connected to it. The warm up and cooldown settings are available in the Generator start/stop menu of the GX device when a relay is enabled for Generator start/stop, and the VE.Bus Inverter/Charger firmware has been updated to 502 or later. Secondly, we added an option to stop a back-up generator that is connected to either ACin 1 when the grid returns. Until now, that feature was only available for systems with the generator wired to ACin 2. More recent information on wiring systems that have both a generator as well as a connection to the utility grid is here . .. Note that for both features to be available, it is necessary to trigger the update the firmware of the built-in MK3. Doing that is really simple, see further below for instructions. Peak Shaving for ESS There is a new Peak shaving option for ESS systems set to Optimised modes. Previously once an ESS system had discharged to the minimum state of charge it would no longer assist the loads to shave the peaks. This is now improved: the new peak shaving feature will make the system keep PowerAssisting when the loads exceed the AC input current limit. Thereafter, as soon as the peak is over, it will recharge the battery using power from the grid, while still prioritising solar. Note that there is a 5% hysteresis on the recharge: when for example the Minimum SOC is configured to 50%, it will then start recharging only once (by peak shaving) the battery has dropped to 45%. It will then recharge back to 50% SOC, whereafter it continues its normal ESS operation: wait for solar power to further charge the battery. To enable, go to the Peak Shaving menu in the ESS setting on your GX device and change the setting to ‘Always’. Note – this works for the critical loads on the AC output only, not those connected to an energy meter. We also fixed some bugs where PV was not used for loads when scheduled charging to 100% during the daytime, and where an AC PV-inverter on AC-in-2 would not be shown in the ESS overview. Scheduled Charging Scheduled charging is a feature that allows additional control over charging and discharging your ESS system based around time of use. Previously you could set up a scheduled charging window, and once the battery was charged to the target, it would stop charging, and also disable discharging remaining at that state of charge, waiting until the scheduled charging mode finished before it would begin discharging again. In Venus v3.00 there is a new ‘Self-consumption above limit’ option that allows an ESS system to discharge during a scheduled charging period as long as the SOC remains above the programmed SOC limit. This new setting can be useful if a scheduled charge slot with a lower SOC limit setting follows another slot with a higher target. This means you can now choose how much of your battery is allowed to discharge during certain periods of the day. This allows you to balance how much and when you charge from the grid, how much battery backup you maintain, ensure your batteries get a good regular recharge, and have some spare capacity to recharge from solar. More flexibility to optimise for the many different grid tariffs, times and conditions around the world. Disable the touch feature on a GX Touch There are many situations where you want to have the Cerbo GX screen visible to show what the system is doing, but disable any kind of touch interaction or control. We’ve now added a new feature to disable the touch input. This additional control restriction should be considered anywhere the touch screen is accessible to the public or an untrained end-user, such as someone renting a hybrid generator system. This is done by installing a small push button switch, and programming one of the digital inputs. When pressed the switch will make a momentary connection of the programmable digital input, enabling or disabling the touch control. More details and information about “Hardening a GX device” is available here . Node-RED We continue to see innovative solutions from system designers who are exploring the potential and control that Node-RED offers them over their Victron equipment. Many solutions that previously depended on Victron engineers, or 3rd party hardware, can now be done completely by their own teams with the Victron equipment they already have today. Given the success we will continue to improve the platform, to make it easier to get started, and more reliable for the long run. This screenshot shows what the Node-RED editor looks like: More details on that example for are in a video shared by ENERP . These are the Node-RED related changes in Venus OS 3.00: Change how the Node-RED nodes identify which Victron device they configured for. This now uses the dbus /DeviceInstance path, instead of the the full service path. To use that, all existing flows will need to be manually migrated. But until you migrate, your flows will remain functional. More details on this specific change here: https://github.com/victronenergy/node-red-contrib-victron/releases/tag/v1.4.25 . A few extra nodes have been added (input-pump, output-pump, output-battery), and several existing nodes got extra paths. Added two options to output nodes: (1) rounding of values, and (2) output only on value changes. Several importable examples have been added and the documentation has been updated. Note that Victron cannot offer support for Node-RED flows. If you think you’ve found a bug, or have a feature request, the correct channel to get in touch is via the Victron Commmunity Modifications space . To learn more about Node-RED, see our manual for it , as well as our library of documented example flows . Bluetooth improvements for Cerbo GX There was an unfortunate issue that affected Cerbo GX units with serial number HQ2207 and earlier where the built in Bluetooth was limited by internal temperature. The good news is that as of HQ2208 and later, and all Cerbo-S GX, we’ve added an additional improved Bluetooth radio. This v3.00 firmware release will use that one. Note for Ruuvi temperature sensing, it is still fine to have additional external long range USB bluetooth radios to even further improve coverage. All connected Bluetooth radios will be used for reading Ruuvi data. Other i mprovements since v2.90 The last blog post about a Venus release was version v2.90 . We released a few smaller point release bug fixes so they didn’t need to wait for this full release of v3.00. For more details about these and other smaller changes, please also check the v2.90-2.93 change-log: Fixed a problem where sometimes the Remote Console wouldn’t work, and required a factory reset to recover. Any system that was having this issue will be fixed automatically once updated to v2.93 or v3.00. The EV Charging Station added the new Scheduled mode, and more. Fixed a timezone bug related to ESS Scheduled Charging: after changing the time zone, a reboot was required to make that use the new time zone. Restore Modbus-TCP register 31, VE.Bus State. Fixed Zigbee (DRF2685C) detection. Add support for ABB B-series meters for use in ESS (see release notes for exact models) Fixed a bug in Fronius PV Inverter integration that very seldomly caused spikes of PV power to be logged on the VRM Portal. DVCC for Freedom WON batteries changed SVS to no longer be forced off. Instead, the installer can choose between On and Off. For most systems, we recommend keeping it off. Contact FreedomWON for more information. More Energy Meters as well as 3rd party lithium batteries We added support for the full EM300 range of energy meters from Carlo Gavazzi, and in addition significant performance improvements have been made to the control loop when using the EM540 meter. It is now preferable to use the EM540 meter where suitable. Pylontech and Hubble BMS batteries Support was added for Pylontech batteries with 16 cells in series (rather than usual 15 cells), and we now force know-good settings for Hubble batteries (DVCC on, STS off, SVS off). Manual step for MK3 update For Venus OS v3.00 to be complete, one manual step is required: updating the MK3 controller that is embedded into the GX device. There is a small chance, our statistics show approx. 5%, that that update triggers a short system restart, i.e your inverter/charger might turn off and on again. Which is also why we have made it such that it needs to be triggered manually. On systems not updated yet, you’ll see this (after going to the Device list, and then into the MultiPlus, Quattro or EasySolar listing): If you don’t see this message, it means you’re already up to date. Note that this additional manual step is only necessary only for this one update. Hereafter, MK3 updates will be silent again, like they used to be; since normally there is no risk of a short system outage. Many more changes: change log There are many more improvements, specific bug fixes and under-the-hood updates (notably for Modbus-TCP, Venus OS large (Node-RED & Signal K), DVCC, developers, VE.Bus BMS). To read the details, see the full change log by logging into Victron Professional and selecting ‘Firmware’ -> ‘Venus OS’ -> ‘firmware changelog’. Information about how to install the firmware is in the manual of your GX Device. Quick links to the relevant pages can be found here: Cerbo GX , Color Control GX and for the Venus GX . Until next time, sincerely yours, Matthijs Vader Victron Energy BV

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Generator hire win-win.

Gijsels BV are a prominent Generator Hire company in Belgium who have built their business over twenty years by supplying reliable gensets – usually in the 20kVA – 600kVA range – immediately from stock. Part of their success is a rigorous testing regime – before supply, and on return – during which the units are run under load for an hour to ensure they are performing satisfactorily. Until recently all the electricity generated during load-testing was dissipated as heat by a ‘resistance’ bank. Elias Gijsels – the son of the company’s owner – happened to be working on a sustainability project at school and suggested the test-energy was stored and used to run the workshop and offices. He helped design and install a system – which includes a PV array – which allows the company to be power self-sufficient. Elias Gijsels prepares to store the energy produced during product testing. Depending on the season there will be up to 12 people working at Gijsels – both office and workshop staff – which places a number of demands on their energy supply and results in a typical power consumption of 90/100kWh per day. They manage their schedule with the aim of testing one unit per day – thus spreading the energy production over time and allowing maximum consumption of surplus energy, which is stored in a battery bank of 76.8k kWh. Off Grid In order to comply with the National Grid power regulations in Belgium, Electrical Engineers Ysebaert.be – who advised and supplied the system components – incorporated a Break before Make transfer switch as seen on the system schematic below. This ensures that the private power system will not become grid-connected. The system benefits from a solar array with PV Inverters maximising daytime consumption, and it is the company’s expectation to be energy self sufficient even when they have installed an EV charger for staff use. The three phase system employs 3 x Quattro 15kVA Inverter Chargers together with Pylontech storage and is controlled by a Cerbo GX . Also in the build: Lynx distibutors US2000 Pylontech batteries 32 modules + 1 communication hub PV active on the public grid (AC 6 kW) PV active on the energy system ( AC SMA 15 kW) Transfer switch 80A Ysebaert Product Manager Luc Baeyens explains that ‘energy transition and the innovative use of energy’ is the key interest in his division of the company. Ysebaert works with clients to develop systems that will find the right match between investment and energy transition. He continues: At Gijsels the main business is generator rental – but they do want to make the switch/transition to use energy in an innovative system. The combination of a generator and their energy system provides extra value for the user – less use of fossil fuel, and less pollution. The supply of mobile energy is an area in which Ysebaert themselves are working as they develop mobile temporary energy systems, incorporating generator back-up, for use on construction sites.

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Energy Container

With 75 years of experience under their belt, leading German Cable manufacturer Klaus Faber AG have diversified into the field of portable power. The company likes a steady hand at the helm – their CEO retired recently at the age of 90 – and with the new CEO Joachim Czabanski came the idea of developing a containerised power system which could be drawn from stock, on demand, flown to site, and deployed in an hour by non-technical individuals who have no tools. If this sounds like the ideal solution for power in disaster zones, refugee camps, exploration areas, or defence – then you’re right – these are the kinds of applications Faber Infrastructure GmbH have in mind for their Mobile Power Systems. One-and-a-half years in development, the 20′ container offers 80kWh of Li-ion battery storage, and provides up to 30kW at 230/380V, configured either as an off-grid or grid connected power source. The unit is scalable allowing in-parallel connection to more containers. What’s in the box? German engineering allows 64 Solar Panels to unfold from the unit – deployed ‘by-hand’ in four pitched arrays offering 24kWp. Power is harvested by 8 solar chargers – SmartSolar MPPT 250/100-Tr . A frame-mounted 15kVA Fischer Panda generator – installed for back up purposes – slides from the unit complete with its fuel tank into the outside world for easy access. The container is so designed as to allow the generator to run within the security of the container shell. 3 x Quattro Inverter Chargers offer 30kVA (60kVA peak). The Quattro has two AC inlets which could be connected to both a generator and grid power, if available – automatically drawing current from whichever source is live. Its two AC outlets offer an uninterrupted power supply in the event of grid or generator failure; at the same time non-essential loads – such as air-conditioning – will be dropped, securing the stored-power supply for all essential loads. The Inverters can be configured for three phase supply. Sophisticated software provides optimum charging of the 80kWh lithium battery bank – which can be scaled up in size. The remote power installation can be managed and monitored from anywhere in the world via satellite, using the Victron Remote Management Portal. This means that the power supply, wherever it is in the world, is never far away from technical support. What becomes possible? The most urgent humanitarian requirement in a disaster zone or refugee camp is clean drinking water. Water pumping and purification needs power, and that power becomes available without the need for difficult or dangerous fuel transport. The simple provision of Lighting allows emergency operations to continue 24 hours a day; and Communication networks can be established. When used in commercial applications – such as mineral exploration – the container meets the power-requirement of staff sustainably, silently, and without pollution …and when it’s time to move on it leaves no footprint. Faber Infrastructure GmbH intend their new containerised-power modules to become industry leading emergency remote power units. By keeping warehouse stocks of their Faber Mobile Power System units ready-built, they are able to offer rapid response to urgent and emergency power need, anywhere in the world. Thanks to Bob Hopman who is the Victron Energy Sales Manager for Germany for bringing this story to our attention.

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Sophisticated Hybrid Generators

Rune Eilertsen, Managing Director of Hybridgenerator ApS in Denmark, certainly knows how to grasp a good idea and implement it. Whilst many companies use Victron Energy Inverter/Chargers supplied by battery systems to provide power during low load diesel generator periods, when not running at more engine and environmentally friendly full generator loads – Rune decided there was a better way to do things. The result is a range of sophisticated Hybrid Generators that flips things on their head – by using inverter power as the primary high power source, together with a smaller supplementary diesel generator. In fact, in many units inverter power is all that is required. Serious portable trailer power – 9 x 48V, 10000VA Victron Energy Quattros. 5 on one side, 4 on the other. Click image to learn more about Quattros. Key differences When compared to most hybrid-generators Rune’s systems are lighter and more cost effective, due to the factors below. System replaces a 120 to 150 kVA genset Trailer mounted, towable with a pickup truck All within a 3500kg towing weight, including 750 litres of diesel onboard Better power to weight Superior power output quality Optimised battery system for heavy use Small generator, big battery/inverter power Benefits of primary Inverter power use Portable Power Particularly when considering onshore wind turbine installation and commissioning, there are attractive benefits and cost savings compared to using just a standalone generator. In Summer, fuel burn is reduced by up to 75% Generator servicing, reduced by up to 80% Simple logistics, tow to site Less generator fuel refills Longer system lifespan No damage from unstable diesel generator power when commissioning turbines Hybrid Generator built into a trailer, along with tow vehicle and service vehicle at an onshore wind turbine installation. Harsh environment operation Hybridgenerator ApS designed their products from the outset to be rugged and suitable for harsh environments, such as Arctic weather conditions. Key example reasons why the units have been well received in the harsh environment market: Rugged – even with 8 fast charges per day, the system and batteries will not overheat. Cold weather – the battery system holds itself in a warm state when used in the winter. The future Hybridgenerator ApS are currently working on a battery system that can have 25-30 thousand charges, together with a 10 year warranty. Shortly they will also implement Stage V Generation, to reduce soot and particle emissions. This, when compared to just using a generator at low load for long periods, will greatly assist the onshore wind turbine industry – as when using a hybrid instead, its the ideal combination for low and high load operations. Conclusion Having worked in the wind turbine industry myself and seen the huge generators that are transported about, I can see clear advantages to using a hybrid system. We’re delighted to see Rune using Victron Energy products to help him achieve his business goals. Thanks to Niels Kaarill , Victron Energy Sales Manager for Denmark, Finland, Iceland and Norway , for the heads up on Hybridgenerator ApS. John Rushworth Contact Rune Eilertsen Hybridgenerator ApS Phone – +45 3163590 Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/hybridgenerator/ Website – http://www.hybridgenerator.eu/

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Venus OS v3.00 – Generator start/stop improvements, ESS Peak shaving

Generator hire win-win.

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Venus OS v3.00 – Generator start/stop improvements, ESS Peak shaving

Generator hire win-win.

Energy Container

Sophisticated Hybrid Generators