The Austrian manufacturer Fronius now offers a wide variety of different inverters. In addition, a new hybrid inverter, the Fronius Symo Gen24 Plus, was introduced in 2020 to complement the Symo Hybrid and cover the range between 5 and 10 kWp. But Fronius is far more than just a provider of different kinds of inverters. The company is a solution provider with a clear goal in mind…
The vision of 24 hours of sun
Fronius’ goal is clearly set: In their vision, the future is electric, shaped by renewable energy. But this requires far more than just a PV system: from the module on the roof to the Fronius inverter in the basement. To fulfil the vision, the energy generated during the day must be stored and then distributed to all consumers in a targeted manner. The system must be intelligent and be able to directly control as many consumers as possible. They should also be cost effective, both in production and for the customer at home. In this blog post, we are therefore giving you a little insight into the solutions from Fronius and the collaborations that arise in order to fulfill the Fronius vision.
At the heart of consumer control: The Fronius Ohmpilot
Apart from the hybrid inverters, which control the flow to and from the battery and are thus responsible for the most efficient use of the available battery capacity, there is one product in the Fronius portfolio that can be described as the central brain of consumer control: The Fronius Ohmpilot. Already on the market since mid-2017, the Ohmpilot is slowly becoming the secret star in the Austrian company’s portfolio. Originally developed exclusively for the stepless control of hot water consumption, Fronius has been ahead of its competitors in terms of sector coupling with this product since 2017. The consumption controller can use surplus PV power from 0 to 9 kW – with special solutions now also up to 18 kW – to control a heating element, for example, and thus store energy in the form of hot water. But it is now also possible to charge an e-car in excess using a wallbox or to control infrared panels, for example to heat the bathroom.
A strong partner in the hot water sector: Askoma AG
As in all areas of technology, Fronius also relies on strong partners to be able to implement its vision of 24 hours of sun. A partner who supports them and whom IBC SOLAR can also offer to the customers is the Swiss heating element manufacturer Askoma. Founded back in 1967, Askoma today offers an overwhelming selection of heating elements for every application. This also caught the attention of Fronius, and so flanged and screw-in heating elements which show the Askoma logo as well as the reference “Fronius optimised”. Askoma is also one of the few manufacturers that is listed as a compatible manufacturer in the Fronius Ohmpilot white paper. For photovoltaics and retrofitting, we believe the most suitable are the screw-in heaters in the 3 to 9 kW range.
The Fronius vision is therefore becoming more and more concrete and the public is also slowly rethinking PV and sector coupling. If you are also interested in this topic or if this article has aroused your curiosity, please take a look at our Online Shop! In addition to the Fronius Ohmpilot and the Askoma heating elements, we also offer a large number of other articles in regard to sector coupling.