Optimization of Plug-and-Play PV Systems

The energy transition, and with it the shift to renewable energy sources, is progressing. However, further measures are needed to accelerate expansion to achieve the European as well as global energy and climate goals. This chapter examines the potential of plug-and-play photovoltaic (PV) systems, which are smaller than traditional PV systems and designed to be installed without the need for professional technical knowledge. As such, this work demonstrates the functionality, applicability and economics of plug-and-play PV systems. Due to the time lag between PV generation and consumption, surpluses often occur. Conventionally, these surpluses are not utilized or remunerated, or only to a limited extent. By integrating energy storage, these surpluses can be accumulated and made available for use at a later time, which can notably increase the self-consumption and thus the economic efficiency of the system. As part of this work, the options for optimizing plug-and-play PV systems with and without energy storage are presented.