SG Ready

SG Ready

Since September 2020, the Aircal system has adopted control technology, allowing individual heat pumps to be integrated into the smart grid. This means they meet the requirements of the SG Ready label.

 

The first thing to say is:

background information

More and more electricity is needed to drive heat pumps from renewable energy sources. However, wind and solar power generation depend on weather and cannot be controlled in a demand oriented manner at specific times. Therefore, favorable conditions lead to an increasing electricity surplus, but there are also periods of low electricity generation. In the political and economic fields, people are seeking solutions that help make "green" electricity more predictable. These solutions need to be able to respond flexibly to power generation closely related to nature. Heat pumps play a crucial role in these concepts.

 

Using photovoltaic power generation to operate heat pumps

If you have a heat pump, if possible, you should use self-produced photovoltaic power to run it. This means that your investment will receive faster returns.

However, when there is enough solar energy available, there are usually not enough options to operate the heat pump. In the worst-case scenario, your heat pump starts at night and receives electricity from the grid to increase storage temperature. This is because there is no communication between the solar system and the heat pump.

 

Control through SG Ready or PV Ready

Most modern heat pumps have SG Ready or PV Ready inputs. Through this input, your heat pump receives a signal that there is enough solar energy available and starts producing warm water by increasing the target temperature of the water storage tank. Therefore, you store electricity in the form of thermal energy. In most cases, the increase in storage temperature is sufficient to make the heat pump require almost no electricity at night.

 

Combining heat pumps with photovoltaic power generation

The combination of heat pumps and photovoltaic systems (PV) has many advantages and is a wise investment for a sustainable future. If you want to use as much electricity as possible from the photovoltaic system itself, you must consider the following technical conditions:

The heat pump is always adjusted according to the required heat demand.

Heat pumps - including speed control devices (inverters) - cannot be adjusted based on available power.

If the internal power generation is lower than the sum of the needs of the heat pump and all other consumers, external electricity must be purchased.

When the heating energy demand of a building is the lowest, the photovoltaic power generation is the highest.

 

What does PV Ready offer?

Description: The heat pump is controlled by a photovoltaic system inverter.

Winter operation

Heating mode:

The heat pump controller receives the corresponding signal from the inverter. The system starts heating at maximum power until it reaches the set return limit temperature. If the heating limit (maximum operating limit of water flow temperature WP) is reached and the signal from the inverter still exists, perform hot water preparation.

Hot water preparation:

The heat pump controller receives the corresponding signal from the frequency converter. Prepare hot water until the maximum flow temperature is reached. The operation of the heat pump has reached its absolute operating limit. As long as the signal from the inverter continues, the hot water temperature reaching this point will be maintained with the set hysteresis.

 

Summer operation

Only hot water preparation is active. Its execution method is the same as in winter.

Requirement

Inverter with passive switch contacts. The inverter must be able to switch to 230V, otherwise additional relays must be provided. Attention must be paid to ensuring that the output of the photovoltaic system matches the maximum power consumption of the heat pump.

Photovoltaic ready

Using the 1 kW power provided by the photovoltaic system, the alpha Innotec heat pump can generate up to 5 kW of heating power. This heating energy source is 100% ecological and does not contain carbon dioxide. It can be easily stored in hot water or heating systems and used in the future.

Smart grid

Smart Grid (SG) aims to achieve intelligent networking between energy suppliers and energy consumers, rather than optimizing your own electricity usage. The built-in alpha Innotec heat pump is equipped with SG Ready function. This ensures that SG Ready can be used once the energy supplier provides the corresponding options.

 

What is an SG Ready heat pump?

To understand the concept of SG ready heat pumps, we first need to understand the meaning of smart grids; They use cutting-edge sensing and communication technologies to control how devices use and allocate energy.

In this way, there is a stable controlled power supply, allowing your device to maintain its operation. But what exactly is it? You may want to know. The smart grid promotes the flow of electricity and energy usage information. They are sensitive because they can immediately detect changes and respond.

The heat pump design that responds to various external operation signals can be certified as Smart Grid Ready (SG Ready). Due to the introduction of this label by the Bundesverband W ä rmepump (BWP) and other heat pump manufacturers in 2012, we can now classify heat pumps as SG ready. This label encourages the use of external controls such as signals to operate the heat pump.

In this way, the electrical system of your heat pump can reduce its impact on the environment and save money. SG ready heat pump applications typically provide users with stable and affordable energy, while combining renewable energy and heating solutions to operate effectively in environments with fluctuating electricity prices.

 

What are the connection options for SG Ready heat pumps

To ensure compatibility with heat pumps equipped with smart grid control inputs, it is necessary to provide relays with potential free conversion outputs. Some options for connecting the SG Ready heat pump interface include using a suitable radio socket with a separate relay or directly using a suitable socket for connection.

  

The advantages of SG Ready heat pumps

Meeting energy needs

With the increase of population and the continuous emergence of new complex technological advancements, the energy demand to meet the energy needs of equipment is constantly increasing. SG heat pump is a way to meet these needs.

Reducing carbon footprint

Electricity is easy to manage. However, the production process of this type of energy has a high carbon footprint. SG heat pumps significantly reduce carbon emissions, which helps encourage the transition from fossil fuel heating solutions.

Low maintenance costs

If you often spend your money repairing or replacing the heating system, now is the time for you to consider upgrading to SG Ready heat pumps. Due to the fact that maintenance costs are automatic, they can be reduced, which can have a significant impact on your budget.

Cost effectiveness

Energy providers can use the data from smart meters to design demand response solutions, helping customers reduce energy consumption in warm and cold months. These applications can help you save money as you can adjust the thermostat to reduce consumption during peak demand periods.

They use smart devices

The SG Ready heat pump system can use smart devices to automatically set up heat pumps and regulate the temperature of residential or commercial buildings. It also controls when and how the heat pump uses electricity. You can also easily track the energy consumption of the heat pump.

SG Ready Heat Pump Trends

Heat pumps are an emerging technology that plays a crucial role in green sports. As people continue to explore various ways to shape energy demand, besides smart grids, there are other ways to adjust energy consumption patterns. All these methods will ultimately achieve the same goal: optimizing energy use.

Nowadays, considering the growth of global energy consumption, SG Ready heat pumps like the R290 heat pump are a good way to address the challenge of balancing energy supply and demand. The adoption of SG Ready heat pumps is attributed to the promising prospects of advancing electrical energy regulations. The following aspects can help you understand the future situation of SG Ready heat pump market:

 

1: Despite fluctuations in energy costs, aggregators, demand response companies, and energy supplier companies may still benefit from strategically managing heat pump operating systems. These entities can leverage these opportunities to optimize their operations and contribute to a more sustainable energy ecosystem.

2: Through efficient SG Ready heat pumps, users can save money on developing more grid systems to meet peak demand.

3: Heat pump companies can ensure that their products have intelligent functions. Market participants can benefit from the promising market prospects of SG Ready heat pump technology demand response and energy-saving services. These opportunities are particularly evident in the progress made by companies specializing in communication technology and other construction management systems.

 

What is the future of SG Ready heat pumps?

Efforts are currently being made to explore renewable energy solutions to enhance the ability to predict the potential for sustainable energy and promote progress in sustainable power generation. SG Ready heat pumps are crucial for these sustainable energy concepts. However, heat pump manufacturers and users can consult energy experts to benefit from the future possibilities of intelligent heat pump technology.

 

This collaborative strategy helps to raise awareness and pave the way for sustainable energy solutions. In addition, energy suppliers are developing measures to manage the use of heat pumps in the face of energy supply shortages.

 

The future SG Ready heat pump is expected to have the best energy efficiency; The load management system enables the heat pump to effectively store additional electricity during periods of oversupply.

 

This will help establish a more sustainable and balanced energy network. The heat pump industry has a goal: to effectively utilize and save renewable electricity in a way that is both practical and provides space for new progress. With the continuous adoption of SG Ready heat pumps, we can foresee a corresponding increase in demand. Due to the ultimate demand for renewable energy generation and energy efficiency compensation leading to zero capacity waste, it is expected that demand will increase.

 

Saving energy sometimes means using it wisely. However, existing infrastructure can be effectively utilized. The heat generation of indoor space and domestic hot water is an important energy consumer for households and commercial buildings. You can use digital control to effectively operate SG Ready heat pumps.

 

Requirements for SG Ready Tags

Heating heat pump

The heating heat pump must have a controller that covers four operating states:

Running state 1 (1 switching state, terminal solution: 1:0):

This running state is backward compatible with practical blocks, often switching at fixed times, and includes up to 2 hours of "hard" blocking time.

Running state 2 (1 switch state, for terminal solution: 0:0):

In this circuit, the heat pump operates in an energy-saving and normal operating mode, with proportional heat storage filling to achieve a maximum of two hours of utility shutdown.

Running state 3 (1 switch state, terminal solution 0:1):

In this operating state, the heat pump inside the controller operates in an enhanced mode for space heating and hot water preparation. This is not a clear startup command, but based on today's added startup suggestions

Operation status 4 (1 switch status, terminal solution 1:1):

This is a clear startup command, as long as it is possible within the control setting range.

For this operating state, different control models must be adjusted on the controller for different rates and usage models:

Variant 1: Actively turn on the heat pump (compressor).

Option 2: Actively turn on the heat pump (compressor and additional electric heater), optional: higher temperature in the heat accumulator

Alternatively, room temperature can be used as a reference variable for controlling system temperature (flow rate and reflux temperature). It is not enough to use a room thermostat based on room temperature to prevent heat pumps.

 

Interface compatible system components

Manufacturers can apply for SG Ready labels for all system components that meet the following requirements:

You must have logic for controlling the heat pump, which uses two or more of the heat pump operating states defined in 2.1.

There must be a model or series document describing how to set up system components to control heat pumps that support SG Ready.

 

The control functions can be set to meet the following minimum requirements:

a) Once the signal used to block the heat pump (operating state 1) is set through digital input, the signal will remain active for at least 10 minutes. After the signal disappears, it can only be restarted after 10 minutes at the fastest.

b) The heat pump may be completely blocked (operating state 1) for up to 2 hours.

c) The heat pump is completely blocked (operating state 1) and can be switched up to 3 times a day.

d) Once the heat pump start recommendation/start command signal (running state 3/4) is set through digital input, the signal will remain active for at least 10 minutes. After the signal disappears, it can only be restarted after 10 minutes at the fastest.

 

How do smart grids and heat pumps work together?

Heat pumps are considered the future heating system. Last year alone, nearly 150000 new devices were installed, and this trend is still on the rise. However, these high sales also make the correlation between heat pumps and systems increasingly high. Heat pumps not only provide heating, but also actively participate in load management of the German power grid. This is mainly achieved through communication between the smart grid and the SG Ready interface, and is executed using two commands: the smart grid tells the heat pump to briefly disconnect from the grid to compensate for load peaks and alleviate grid pressure. But don't worry: the supplier can only disconnect the heat pump from the grid for a maximum of two hours per day, and only when purchasing energy through a special heat pump electricity price.

The SG Ready interface tells the heat pump to absorb excess energy from the solar system. Then, this energy will be used to charge the hot water tank and economically and effectively heat the house in the future.

 

Economically and efficiently heating using photovoltaic systems and SG-READY heat pumps

If the electricity generated by the solar system exceeds the current electricity demand of the house, the excess electricity is usually fed into the public grid. As a reward, homeowners can earn a small amount of cents per kilowatt hour, which is the grid electricity price. At the same time, the same homeowner needs to pay a fee of 30 to 40 carats per kilowatt hour to operate the heat pump, depending on the local electricity price. If excess solar energy is not fed in but used for heating, its cost-effectiveness will be significantly improved. Its working principle is as follows:

If the photovoltaic system generates excess solar energy, it will report this situation through the SG Ready interface of the heat pump.

Use heating elements to heat the hot water tank inside the house to around 65 degrees Celsius using excess energy; Electric energy is temporarily stored as thermal energy.

In the future, stored energy can be used economically and efficiently for heating or bathing houses.

There is also a small benefit: heating the hot water tank can prevent Legionella, thereby improving the quality of domestic water.

 

Will SG Ready become mandatory soon?

SG Ready heat pumps can help homeowners provide economical, efficient, and intelligent heating. Therefore, more and more manufacturers are adopting smart grid readiness standards in most of their heat pump models.

The simple answer to this question is: No, the law currently does not require SG Ready. If you want to receive funding for heat pumps starting from January 1, 2023, the situation will be different. From then on, the heat pump is only considered eligible for funding when it can start and operate to benefit the network.

 

Conclusion: Utilizing SG Ready heat pumps to prepare for the future

In the near future, heat pumps with SG Ready labels may become the standard configuration for single family homes - there is ample reason for this. After all, with such a heat pump, you can not only heat in an environmentally friendly and cost-effective way, but also heat in a particularly intelligent way. In addition, starting from January 1, 2023, legislation will only support heat pumps with communication interfaces. This is also because SG Ready heat pumps are more efficient and sustainable than regular heat pumps, making them more cost-effective.

Energy efficiency, cost savings, and environmental impact - these are key factors in how we can heat homes and contribute to a more sustainable future in today's rapidly developing energy landscape. But why do you need a heat pump with a "smart grid ready" feature? Here is how these heat pumps will completely change our heating methods!