Tesvolt Fits Alpine Cabin in Tyrol With off-Grid Battery Storage System

Wittenberg/Mieming, 19 September 2017 – The commercial storage system manufacturer TESVOLT has supplied a battery storage system for the Coburger Hütte mountain refuge owned by the German Alpine Club (DAV) in Tyrol, Austria. The storage system, with a capacity of 77 kilowatt hours (kWh), replaces the old lead-acid battery and increases the solar power consumption of the cabin, which is fitted with a 16 kilowatt peak (kWp) solar power system. The entire energy supply installation is tailored to meet the DAV’s stringent environmental and sustainability criteria for mountain regions, and will reduce the consumption of rapeseed oil as fuel.

Improving self-sufficiency in mountainous terrain
The refuge, which provides overnight accommodation for hikers at more than 1,900 metres above sea level, is supplied with energy from both the photovoltaic system with its storage system and from a combined heat and power unit that runs on rapeseed oil. Compared to diesel – which, in line with the DAV’s principles, is banned on the mountain – rapeseed oil is a more environmentally friendly fuel, but costs 20-30% more. The cabin is not connected to the power grid.

“Delivering oil to the mountain is difficult and expensive,” says Michael Anker, CEO of the firm StromvomDach Erl GmbH, which is carrying out the work. “The new storage system means that the cabin can be powered by the solar power system even when the weather isn’t so sunny.” In high season, the cabin consumes around 200 kWh each day.

Installed in difficult conditions
Due to the challenging terrain at the site, the storage system was delivered to the refuge using a helicopter. It was installed during the high season while the refuge was operating at full capacity, without interrupting the power supply. “TESVOLT’s storage systems are very compact and easy to install,” says Michael Anker, explaining why he chose TESVOLT. “And for demanding projects like this one, reliable and failsafe batteries are extremely important in order to minimise maintenance work.”

High-performance cells
“Our storage systems are particularly high-performing and can withstand high loads. This not only makes them ideal for use in industry, it also secures the power supply even in challenging and remote areas without a grid connection,” says Daniel Hannemann, Managing Director of TESVOLT.

Thanks to their particular design and chemical composition, the prismatic cells installed in the TESVOLT storage systems enable high charging speeds. With a total capacity of 76.8 kWh, both storage systems in the TESVOLT TS 40 series provide 100% usable energy (DoD) and are therefore well suited to rapidly storing energy and rapidly delivering it again in an emergency. The Active Battery Optimizer developed in-house by TESVOLT controls each individual cell, ensuring optimal charging and discharging and thus avoiding faults and damage.

The modernisation of the energy supply installation, including the process of installing the storage system, was more than 50% subsidised by the Austrian state and the German Alpine Club.