Sungrow iHomeManager: Smart Energy Management and Solar Battery Storage with time plan

Sungrow time plan: how scheduled battery storage management works

The Time Plan feature of Sungrow iHomeManager allows users to define specific battery charging and discharging periods according to electricity prices and system requirements.

In conventional solar PV installations, electricity generated but not consumed on site is generally exported to the grid as it becomes available. However, during the middle of the day, when solar generation is typically highest, the value of exported electricity may be lower than during other periods.

Time Plan enables an alternative energy management strategy:

1. Storing surplus solar energy: excess PV generation is stored in the battery rather than immediately exported to the grid.
2. Scheduling battery discharge: specific time periods are defined for using the stored electricity.
3. Optimising grid export: where permitted by the system configuration and contractual arrangements, stored energy can be exported during periods offering more favourable financial returns.

This scheduling capability allows solar energy consumption and export to be shifted to different times of day, with the aim of improving the overall financial benefits of the installation.

Configuring time periods and battery state of charge

The energy management system allows installers to configure several operating parameters, including:

• Scheduled battery charging and discharging periods.
• Charging and discharging power settings.
• Target battery State of Charge (SOC) levels.
• Different operating schedules according to the month and day of the week.

This flexibility enables installers to adapt battery storage operation to the technical characteristics of the installation and the household’s energy consumption profile.

Solar Battery Storage and Dynamic Electricity Tariffs: Optimising Energy Value

Advances in residential battery storage technology are creating new opportunities for improving the financial management of electricity.

Beyond increasing self-consumption, battery storage systems can help optimise the value of solar electricity through charging and discharging strategies based on time-of-use electricity tariffs.

In this context, Sungrow iHomeManager offers different energy management modes:

• Self-consumption: prioritises the use of solar PV electricity to supply household loads and charge the battery.
• Time Plan: enables manual scheduling of battery charging and discharging periods according to electricity tariff conditions.
• AI Mode: uses solar generation forecasts, consumption profiles and electricity tariff information to automatically optimise energy management.

Time Plan is particularly beneficial when significant price differences exist between electricity tariff periods.

However, the actual financial benefits depend on several factors, including the electricity supply contract, export remuneration arrangements, battery storage efficiency and the battery’s operating limitations.

Benefits of Sungrow iHomeManager for installers

For solar PV professionals, integrating a Home Energy Management System (HEMS) provides an opportunity to offer residential solutions that go beyond electricity generation and storage.

Key benefits include:

• Integrated system management: inverters, batteries and other energy devices communicate within a coordinated ecosystem.
• Energy optimisation: battery charging and discharging cycles can be adapted to consumption patterns and electricity tariff conditions.
• Greater system design flexibility: support for configurations incorporating additional inverters, EV chargers and heat pumps, subject to device compatibility.
• Centralised monitoring: energy performance can be monitored and managed through the iSolarCloud platform.
• System expandability: additional components can be integrated to accommodate changing household energy requirements.

During the system design phase, installers and designers should carefully assess battery sizing, solar generation and consumption profiles, device compatibility, and the technical and contractual requirements governing electricity export to the grid.

Sungrow: an integrated solution for smart residential solar PV

The integration of Sungrow iHomeManager, SH RS hybrid inverters and SBH battery storage systems enables the development of residential solar PV installations with advanced energy management capabilities.

With Time Plan, battery storage is no longer used solely to increase self-consumption. It can also become a valuable tool for scheduling energy usage and optimising the financial value of solar electricity.

For installers and system designers, these capabilities are important considerations when selecting residential solar PV solutions designed to support increasingly flexible and intelligent energy management.