By integrating the EEBUS interface into its products, sonnen is expanding its ecosystem and offering standardised and § 14a-compliant communication for its energy management system.
Wildpoldsried, 30 September 2024 – As a member of the EEBus initiative, sonnen continues to drive forward the networking of renewable energies in households and in the electricity grid. The integration of the EEBUS interface into sonnen products enables cross-manufacturer “plug&work” communication with other energy-relevant devices such as heat pumps.
The standardised interface makes sonnen’s energy management system (EMS) even more versatile and easier to connect to other devices. Today, sonnen’s EMS already optimises self-consumption of solar power, controls the charging behaviour of electric cars and can respond to price signals from the electricity market or grid operators. It also serves as a central connection to sonnen’s virtual power plant. EEBUS also plays a central role in the implementation of Section 14a of the German Energy Industry Act (EnWG), which regulates the grid-orientated control of systems.
“Storage systems, heat pumps and electric cars offer much more than their basic functions. They can specifically coordinate their energy consumption with the production of their own solar power and signals from the grid operators, thereby reducing end customers’ electricity bills as well as the load on the local power grid. The key to this, in addition to intelligent control, is digital networking as enabled by EEBUS. The integration of this interface into our products plays a decisive role, as it guarantees their grid-friendly function and regulatory conformity in interaction with other EEBus participants,” says Ralf Plieninger, CTO of sonnen.
The Federal Network Agency has categorised EEBUS as a suitable interface for the required information transfer and verification of grid-oriented control within the framework of Section 14a of the Energy Industry Act (EnWG).
In the event of overloads in the low-voltage grid, the grid operator sends control signals to sonnen’s EMS via the smart meter gateway and the connected control box via EEBUS. The EMS then ensures that the electricity consumption does not exceed the grid operator’s specifications. Thanks to the intelligent networking of the PV system, sonnenBattery and other controllable devices such as sonnenCharger and heat pumps, prosumers benefit from the reduced grid charges according to §14a, without any loss of comfort. At the same time, they can be sure that their controllable devices comply with the regulatory requirements.
As an EEBUS partner, sonnen has access to a wide range of opportunities such as participation in working groups, collaboration on specifications (use cases), the implementation and testing of new applications in the Living Lab Cologne and the network of EEBUS members.
About sonnen
sonnen is a pioneer in networked and decentralised energy solutions, including energy storage, smart connections for e-mobility and smart electricity tariffs that optimise the use of self-generated solar power for households and businesses. The unique sonnenVPP software connects customers, the sonnenCommunity, to virtual power plants and integrates them into the energy market. This enables sonnen to generate additional revenue for the sonnenCommunity and offers grid operators innovative services for stabilising the electricity grids. The aim is to accelerate the energy transition and realise the vision of clean, affordable energy for all. The company has been developing its pioneering technologies in Germany since 2010 and operates further sites in Italy, the UK, Australia, Spain and the US. Since 2019, sonnen has been a wholly-owned subsidiary of Shell and part of the Renewables and Energy Solutions business unit.