Optimized storage for solar energy
Solar photovoltaic (PV) is one of the fastest growing energy sources. The mismatch between the solar supply and power demand is one of the major challenges which need to be overcome.
Recent research at Aalto University shows that PV systems could benefit even from small energy storage. A storage unit of 2 kilowatthours of storage for each kilowatt of PV is the optimum to compensate for the daily mismatch. With this capacity a PV system could reach a yearly power self-consumption level of 60–70% in a northern climate and 80–90% in a southern climate, respectively. The study was recently published in Journal of Energy Storage.
As a practical example of the study, a Finnish household with a PV system (without storage) sized to the yearly electricity demand (3,700 kWh) could directly use some 30% of the solar energy produced, the rest would be surplus and need to be curtailed or fed into the power grid. Adding a 8 kWh storage to the 3.8 kW of PV, which corresponds to less than 1/4 of a Nissan Leaf EV battery, the self-consumption of PV would increase to 70% of the yearly demand. During the winter months with less solar insolation, the system would not be able to deliver much solar power.
More information: Lund, P.D., Capacity matching of storage to PV in a global frame with different loads profiles. Journal of Energy Storage 18 (2018) 218-228. Full article can be downloaded from https://authors.elsevier.com/a/1X1XL,rUrFY5Kh
Read more news

Flexibility and community support for people with memory problems
What are the future housing solutions for people with memory decline, and what should they be?
Teaching and Research infrastructure – Aalto University School of Engineering
Creating sustainable solutions requires up-to-date infrastructure. School of Engineering has cutting-edge infrastructure for research, teaching and innovation, including unique, nationally significant research facilities.
Changes to the Open Access Publishing Requirements of the Academy of Finland
The Academy of Finland has announced it will require Plan S compliant immediate open access publishing from projects that have received funding from calls opened 1.1.2021 onwards.