Installation type
Installation isolated from the electrical grid
Location
Alpens (Barcelona)
Start-up
December 2025
Category
Generator sets, Photovoltaic solar self-consumption isolated from the electrical gridUPGRADE OF AN ISOLATED PHOTOVOLTAIC INSTALLATION WITH GENERATOR SUPPORT
We’ve discussed this type of work before, which involves upgrading off-grid photovoltaic systems, either because they’ve become obsolete or old, or because they need modernization and updating. Typically, these upgraded off-grid systems switch from lead-acid batteries to lithium batteries, which are much faster, have a lifespan three times longer than lead-acid batteries, take up significantly less space, and require no maintenance.
In this off-grid photovoltaic system, the existing solar panels were reused, while the rest of the system was upgraded with more modern and efficient equipment. Of course, the lead-acid batteries were replaced with refurbished lithium batteries from the automotive industry. These are second-hand batteries, as we always strive to reuse as many options as possible to create a more sustainable, efficient, and technologically advanced off-grid photovoltaic system. In this off-grid installation, we upgraded from a single 5 kVA inverter to two 5 kW inverters, doubling the power supply. As for the batteries, we replaced an 800 Ah 48V lead-acid battery bank with two 15.2 kW 48V lithium modules, also increasing the storage capacity compared to the previous setup.
These upgrades to off-grid photovoltaic systems are becoming increasingly common. Many installations were built years ago with lead-acid systems and inverters using outdated technologies, and they now need to be replaced because they no longer produce or function as they should due to their natural degradation over time. Therefore, now is the time to upgrade these off-grid photovoltaic systems with modern, more efficient, and capable equipment, offering performance far superior to what was available on the market a few years ago. This “revamping” is necessary for many of the systems built years ago, which have served us so well, but we need to go a step or two further and modernize the systems to achieve better quality and security of electricity supply in off-grid photovoltaic installations.
Installation elements:
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12 solar panels of 260 Wp
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2 Lithium batteries of 15.2 kW 48V
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2 single-phase 5 kW inverters
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1 Soundproofed 20 kVA generator set
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1 Remote monitoring and control system for the assembly.
At SOMA-GENPOWER Electricity we specialize in off-grid electrical installations in Lleida, Huesca and the rest of Spain .
Do you need a solution for an off-grid photovoltaic installation? Check out our installations section or contact us and we’ll provide you with a no-obligation consultation to help you find the best solution for your off-grid agricultural or industrial installation.