PROJECT
HomePvPower is an Industrial Research Project coordinated by MIST E-R and co-funded by the European Regional Development Fund (call for Industrial Research Projects oriented to Innovation in the Energetic Field). The project aims to demonstrate an innovative way of self-consumption and management of photovoltaic electricity that does not require a bidirectional connection to the network but still allows the use of the network as a seamless backup provider. Three essential components will be developed for the home powerline that are not yet available on the market: 1. the "Power Mixer" (mixer of the power generated with that eventually taken from the grid) 2. the "Smart Powerline Controller" (powerline control and management system) 3. two new types of photovoltaic elements for home furnishings. These components, integrated with suitably adapted commercial products, will constitute a kit to transform a typical domestic powerline into an active powerline with a one-way connection to the external power grid. The main feature of the kit is the modularity and expandability of the number of active components that can be installed, both generators and accumulators, without the need to change the electrical system.
AIMS
The project aim to create a "demo" kit of electrical and active equipment and components, based on three prototypes of innovative products: 1. "Power Mixer": equipment for the management and regulation of the supply of electric power by the local powerline, with local units for generating and/or accumulating electricity through the one-way and low priority connection (backup supply) with the external electric network. 2. "Smart Powerline Controller": monitoring and control system of the Power Mixer, of the components installed on the local powerline (optimization of the use of locally generated electricity) and of the withdrawal of electricity from the external network. 3. "Smart PV": innovative photovoltaic elements of different shapes and sizes with architectural designs, based both on conventional silicon solar cells and on experimental photovoltaic cells (thin film with different degrees of transparency on ultralight metallic or polymeric substrates). The project includes a test operation of the kit through installation in a typical domestic powerline and measurement of system performance (efficiency, security, user manageability, impact on the electric bill and others) and its main components.
PARTNERS
MIST E-R – Laboratorio di micro e submicro tecnologie abilitanti dell’Emilia Romagna
MIST E-R - Laboratory of Micro and Submicro Enabling Technologies of Emilia-Romagna Region. MIST E-R is a public-private consortium company for industrial research and technology transfer. Its main operating sectors are the development of micro and nano-technologies on inorganic and organic materials, nano-structures and interfaces for biodiagnostics and biomedical and devices and products based on nanostructured materials.
Contact Massimo Mazzer
massimo.mazzer@cnr.it
FONDAZIONE DEMOCENTER-SIPE
Democenter-Sipe Foundation is an accredited Center for Innovation of the High Technology Network of the Emilia-Romagna Region. It supports the paths of innovation, acting as a facilitator and interface between research centers, public bodies and companies. Democenter-Sipe carries out actions for the transfer and dissemination of research activities and results.
Contact: Massimo Garuti
m.garuti@fondazionedemocenter.it
AKSE ELECTREX
For over 20 years, Akse has been operating in the energy saving market to reduce consumption by identifying waste, causes and sensitizing users. Akse designs, manufactures and installs energy consumption monitoring networks. These are sensors, meters, analyzers, dataloggers, coordinators, energy data managers and gateways marketed under the Electrex brand. The networks are managed by software that allows configuration, administration and data downloading, locally and remotely, to generate consumption analysis reports. Akse also operates in the sector of Energy automation, to automate processes aimed at better managing the use of energy: on/off, sending notifications and automations based on calendars.
Contact: Marco Bonacini
marco.bonacini@akse.it
ESTE S.R.L.
E.S.T.E (Energy Systems Technology Environment) is an Engineering company specialized in electronic and mechatronic systems, with its headquarters in Ferrara. E.S.T.E. deals with industrial research and engineering of products for the control of agricultural, industrial, heavy-duty and automotive vehicles; applications of ISOBUS and Precision Farming systems; automation of machines and autonomous driving systems; engineering of new sensors and applications for interaction with Internet and IoT.
Contact: Roberto Serra
serra@estetechnology.com
IMAMOTER – C.N.R.
IMAMOTER is a Research Institute of the National Research Council (CNR). It has a main office in Ferrara and a secondary office at the CNR Research Area of Turin. Furthermore, it has two experimental stations at Candiolo (Turin) and Vezzolano (Asti). The IMAMOTER Mission is to be a resource of excellence for the advancement, promotion and dissemination of knowledge and technologies useful for the design, production and use of agricultural and earth-moving machines, with a view to sustainable development , energy efficiency and safety of use.
Contact: Massimiliano Ruggeri
m.ruggeri@imamoter.cnr.it