2024 - PEClab

Innovative Chilean Device to Reduce Electricity Consumption Costs

An innovative Chilean device will enable families to reduce their electricity bills. Developed by Javier Pereda and Félix Rojas, professors of Electrical Engineering at the Catholic University (UC), it is the first hybrid solar inverter with second-life battery storage. This multi-port hybrid device integrates into the home electrical grid and can connect several appliances simultaneously, including a charger for electric cars. The inverter allows connection to solar panels and second-life batteries, improving available power and reducing energy costs. The technology optimizes self-consumption by automatically connecting to solar energy or batteries when the home reaches its maximum capacity. It also has autonomous modes such as “sweet dreams,” which takes advantage of lower-cost energy schedules, and “Sunday BBQ,” which uses solar energy to cover consumption peaks. This device will be tested in a home in Santiago in August to demonstrate its benefits and advantages for Chilean households. The project, funded by FONDEF, has the support of the UC Energy Center, PEClab, Andes Electronics, the Energy Sustainability Agency, and SERC Chile.

Innovative hybrid solar inverter with second-life batteries developed by UC will reduce energy costs in homes

Professors Javier Pereda and Félix Rojas, from the Electrical Engineering Department at the Catholic University (UC), presented a revolutionary hybrid solar inverter with second-life battery storage, designed to help families reduce their electricity costs. This device, a multi-port hybrid inverter, integrates with the home electrical grid and allows several appliances to be connected simultaneously, including electric car chargers. It also combines solar panels and reused batteries, optimizing energy use and reducing costs. The system detects consumption in real time and, when the home’s power is about to exceed its limit, automatically resorts to solar energy or batteries, improving self-consumption and avoiding investments in additional capacity. It has seven operating modes adapted to household habits, such as charging batteries at lower cost times or taking advantage of solar energy in the middle of the day. In August, a test will be conducted in a home in Santiago to demonstrate its benefits. The innovation, funded by FONDEF and supported by various institutions, is part of ANID’s Engineering 2030 program, which seeks to promote research and technological development in Chile. This advance represents an accessible, easy-to-install solution with great potential to transform energy consumption in the country’s homes.

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