Autarsys GmbH has delivered and commissioned the first community energy storage system (ESS) in Cyprus. It aims to be a testing ground for how to scale up grid-connected renewable energy on the island.
The company designed and implemented a substation in a neighbourhood in Nicosia connected to homes with rooftop PV systems of 3kWp. Autarsys has partnered with Aerotricity in Cyprus which served as the site and project coordinator and FOSS Research Centre for Sustainable Energy from the University of Cyprus.
Although solar-powered homes enable residents to independently generate renewable energy, the upfront investment costs limit widescale implementation. Moreover, residents often must purchase power from the grid to fill generation gaps due to natural fluctuations of sunlight or at night, which increases costs and exacerbates limits to implementation.
That is why intelligent energy management systems (iEMS) –the type of software that Autarsys designs– are critical to the development of renewable energies. iEMS make wind and solar powered fields more energy-efficient and cost-effective.
Autarsys delivered and commissioned the renewable energy storage system with a capacity of 75 kWh and an inverter that can produce up to 30 kW of power.
“Autarsys hopes to show that energy storage systems combined with photovoltaic fields can be the solution for Mediterranean islands that want to decrease their reliance on imported fossil fuels and increase their energy independence,” said Matthias Ross, Autarsys co-founder.
This Cypriot pilot project is part of a larger programme known as the “Promotion of higher penetration of distributed PV through storage for all” (StoRES). StoRES is a 2-million-euro project of the MED Programme of the EU’s European Regional Development Fund. The MED Programme aims to promote the economic competitiveness of the Mediterranean region in accordance with the Lisbon Strategy and environmental protections in accordance with the Göteborg Strategy.
StoRES strives to address technical and grid-related issues to the integration of PV (photovoltaic) and ESS and find solutions to market barriers by minimizing tariffs or utility costs. You can read more about the project here.
In addition to Aerotricity and the University of Cyprus, other participants include the Cyprus Energy Regulatory Authority (CERA), the Ministry of Energy, Commerce, Industry and Tourism, and the Electricity Authority of Cyprus (DSO).
“The first Energy Storage System (ESS) in Cyprus through the University of Cyprus’ Research Unit (Foss) is now a reality. With Cyprus being a European country but also a remote island in the Eastern part of the Mediterranean with an isolated grid, such solutions open up and make it possible for further penetration of renewables in the Market. This would not have been possible without successful ESS applications. We strongly believe this is only the beginning and a proof of a viable way ahead, taking into account the EU Directives on the promotion of the use of energy from renewable sources,” said Christos Konomis, Managing Director of Aerotricity.
“EAC(DSO) is moving towards the new-smart grids- era, where the current centric-oriented paradigm is shifting to a distributed cellular-oriented grid with abundant renewable energy in-feed at distribution level. Storage systems are vital in effectively balancing supply and demand in such a diverse environment,” said Ioannis Papageorgiou, Network Engineer at the Electricity Authority of Cyprus. “The failure to effectively integrate storage into the grid will impose numerous challenges on system operators. Optimization of storage capacity, functionalities and location is key to tackle the upcoming challenges. This is our aim together with our partners in StoRES and knowledgeable vendors as Autarsys.”
“FOSS Research Centre is striving to remove existing barriers to fulfilling outstanding local energy needs. We’ve embarked on this effort through the SToRES project alongside knowledgeable partners like the DSO of Cyprus, Autarsys, and other state-of-the-art technology providers. For example, by understanding how to optimize the location of the ESS in relation to the national grid we’ll be able to improve the connectivity of storage and energy management systems,” said Dr. Venizelos Efthymiou, Chairman of FOSS Research Centre, University of Cyprus.
