Solnet Group, a leading European project planner of commercial & industrial solar installations, is launching virtual power plant services for owners of solar utilities in the balancing markets as part of Virtual Power Plant fleet. With Solnet Manager, everyone wins as the customer earns additional revenue by participating in maintaining the electricity grid. Solnet Manager represents a significant step towards a more sustainable and intelligent electricity grid, benefiting both businesses and society as a whole.
The new Solnet Manager platform developed by Solnet Group allows commercial and industrial solar utilities and energy storages to join a collective pool of virtual power plants, enabling them to participate in balancing markets, contribute to greater grid stability, and earn additional revenue. Companies participating in the virtual power plant network receive compensation for being on standby and providing production flexibility.
The fluctuating production of renewable energy sources and geopolitical uncertainties such as Russia's potential hybrid influence on electricity markets have led to increased volatility in energy prices and instability in electricity markets. Optimal operation of the electricity grid and increasing reserve market capacity are also nationally significant.
Solar utilities and energy storage units can play a crucial role in grid balancing services, helping counteract the variability of renewable energy generation and generating extra income for participants. Previously, such market opportunities were available only to large-scale energy consumers and producers, but now smaller commercial solar utilities and variable-capacity energy storage can also partake. Solnet Manager is launched first in Finland, with planned subsequent markets including the Netherlands and Germany.
“With the launch of Solnet Manager, we are addressing a crucial gap in virtual power plant participation for small and mid-scale installations. This will bring a new era to solar PV and energy storage markets, as it makes onboarding variable-size utilities for balance market participation easy, cost-effective, and profitable. In doing so, they can become part of the solution for overcoming the volatile nature of renewable energy production and grid congestion issues, earning additional revenue while ensuring the optimal functioning of energy grids. Everyone wins,” says Arttur Kulvik, SVP and co-founder of Solnet Group, who has been responsible for the development of Solnet Manager.
There is great potential for this new solution. The provisions for solar power in the European Performance of Buildings Directive confirmed by the EU in March 2024 will further increase the number of industrial and commercial onsite solar installations. The directive requires the installation of onsite solar power systems across Europe on all new commercial and public buildings by 2026, on all commercial and public buildings undergoing major renovations by 2027, on all new residential buildings by 2029, and on all existing public buildings by 2030.
Solnet Manager effectively controls a diverse pool of solar utilities and energy storage units as a virtual power plant, optimizing the flexible renewable capacity to provide auxiliary services. The platform handles all necessary services, including participation, reporting, aggregation of combined virtual power plant capacity, and targeting of balancing markets to maximize profitability. Under a service model, Solnet Group takes care of the logistics, from device integration and onboarding to management and report generation. Business Finland has provided funding for the project in its research phase.
Solnet Manager - Virtual Powerplant Services for Solar will be available during 2024 as the first in Finland.
Further information:
Joanna Viileinen, Head of Marketing and Communications, Joanna.viileinen@solnet.group, tel. +358 405383366
Solnet Group
Established in 2014, Solnet Group is a rapidly growing solar energy company with offices in the Netherlands, Germany, and Finland. In 2020, the company was listed as the 59th fastest-growing company in Europe on the Financial Times' FT1000 list and ranked third in the energy sector. As early as 2016, Solnet Group received the WWF Climate Solver award. Solnet Group provides comprehensive high-quality services ranging from consulting and design to installation across Europe. To make the project as easy as possible for our customers, we also offer services for project financing and the maintenance and repair of solar panels. Solnet's customers include large investment funds, retailers, manufacturers, as well as warehouses and logistics companies. For more information, please visit www.solnet.group
