Types of solar power plants for businesses: features, benefits and additional opportunities

When choosing the type of solar power plant (SPP) for your business, a number of factors should be taken into account: the possibility of connecting to the general power grid, the location of the facility, as well as the specifics and energy needs of your company.

There are two main types of SPPs: grid-connected and hybrid which can also be combined with energy storages. What is the difference between them and what are the features of each?

• Grid-connected SPP

This type of station is connected to the general power grid. It is best suited for businesses interested in reducing electricity costs and generating additional income from the surplus generation sale. Such a station is an optimal solution for businesses that operate during the day, such as offices, shopping centers, and manufacturing enterprises that can change their schedule. At the same time, it should be noted that grid-connected stations cannot function during power outages, as they are physically dependent on the grid.

If this type of solar power station is implemented, the enterprise can obtain an active consumer status and sell electricity on the market. In addition, the Aggregator model is currently being actively developed, which focuses on attracting active consumers to its Aggregated Groups. Working in such groups enables companies to transform their own solar power plants into separate businesses and generate systematic income from them which is a significant profit.

• Hybrid SPP

Such a solar power plant can operate autonomously, even during power outages or disruptions. This is an optimal option for seasonal facilities and businesses operating in areas where there is no possibility of connecting to the general grid or where the power supply is unstable.

• Hybrid SPP with energy storage

Thanks to the combination of a solar power plant and energy storage, the enterprise can operate in island mode. In addition, it can use its own ESS on the ancillary services market through the Aggregator. The opportunity to actively operate in the electricity market significantly increases the liquidity of such a project. Hybrid SPPs are the best solution for enterprises where uninterrupted power supply is critical: food industry, data centers, medical facilities, agribusiness, etc. since this combination of a solar power plant and an energy storage makes the enterprise energy independent. Moreover, the active development of technologies is reducing the equipment cost, making such systems increasingly accessible to a wide range of consumers.