Solbruket: Batterilager för ökad solelproduktion i det moderna lantbruket

The potential for solar power production in the Swedish agriculture is significant but is highly limited by the capacity in the low-voltage grid. The use of battery storages may be a possibility to increase the self-consumption of solar power and reduce the power exchange to the grid, and thereby avoid expensive grid reinforcements.In order to build knowledge about both technical and user-related possibilities and challenges with grid-connected battery storages for Swedish farms with PV, RISE and Vattenfall have built a pilot plant on a farm in Hälsingland and conducted two sociotechnical studies with interviews and questionnaires concerning obstacles, drivers and benefits associated with battery storages, as they are perceived by Swedish farmers at present.The results point at a number of challenges for battery storages to become an attractive investment for farmers, which include:- Reliability: lifetime and performance of the battery technology is unclear.- Economy: profit versus investment costs.- Long-term storage: seasonal storage of energy is perceived as more attractive than short-term storage.- Supporting backup power: an added value that may motivate higher investment costs.- Climate and environmental benefits: important aspects that are unclear for the present battery technology.These challenges need to be addressed in technical system solutions, services and business models in order to motivate this particular group to invest in battery storages to complement their existing PV power plants.The results from the pilot plant also points at a number of practical benefits and possibilities associated with the system solution. Apart from creating value by cutting power peaks and enable increased self-consumption of solar power, the farmers appreciate the increased convenience provided by the batteries. Since the battery storage cuts the highest power peaks and thereby reduces the risk of local power failures, it is no longer crucial when in time power-consuming equipment is used. This offers a new flexibility in the daily routines. The main economic benefit raised by the farmers is the possibility of a lower fuse subscription.The results from Solbruket provide increased knowledge about farmers with PV and how battery storages can create value for the specific target group. This knowledge can be used by product and services developers to develop attractive technical solutions, services and business models targeting the specific market. However, it is crucial to keep in mind that the battery technology is perceived as immature, and that an investment is regarded as a significant risk. Only when there is balance between technical maturity and investment costs, it is reasonable for the consumer to consider different business models