Optimising consumption with Hager's new energy management system flow

A typical night in with the family uses a lot of energy. TV, stereo, console, router, kitchen appliances, hairdryer, heating elements, various lamps and lights, plus the devices that need to be charged – from mobile phones to cars: so as long as the electricity is flowing, relaxation is assured.

For houses that enable self-sufficiency with the help of a photovoltaic system, this means that electricity must be available with a time delay. Because precisely when consumption is highest in the evening hours, no new electricity is produced. With flow, energy specialist Hager has developed an intelligent energy management system for detached and semi-detached houses that optimally controls energy flows and shifts peak loads. 

Consisting of an energy manager in the technical centre, an energy storage unit and an optional charging station for electric vehicles, flow is a comprehensive solution that works independently in the background. The three coordinated components ensure a high degree of energy self-sufficiency and are convenient even during planning and installation thanks to the plug-and-play design.

To achieve a high degree of independence from the grid, flow not only stores electricity, but also manages it efficiently. For an ideal distribution of solar power, the energy manager calculates the demand of the entire household, taking into account the habits of its residents and weather forecasts. Through optimised utilisation, no solar energy is wasted or fed into the public grid as surplus energy. 

While PV systems without storage can only cover 20 to 30% of their own needs on average, flow ensures maximum self-consumption of self-generated electricity. The capacity of the storage system can be adapted to the size of the house or the consumption of the residents and can also be expanded at a later date.

To ensure that no electricity is lost, flow's energy manager can even direct unused energy to compatible heat pumps using an SG-ready interface, where it is stored as thermal energy to cover heating requirements. Thus, thanks to flow, the PV system not only supports environmentally friendly energy generation, but also climate-friendly heat development.

With the optional witty solar charging station, flow also offers the option of supplying electric cars with self-generated electricity from the PV system, even if there is not enough surplus for 3-phase charging. Instead of using mains electricity, flow automatically switches to 1-phase charging. This requires more charging time, but maintains independence. 

An integrated blackout protection reliably prevents an overload of the house connection during the charging process at the column. Intelligent protection also includes the fact that if no more electricity is available in the storage unit, the energy manager selects the cheapest tariff for witty solar from the alternatives stored.

Hager’s flow system ensures a high degree of self-sufficiency. At its heart is the energy storage unit, which consists of an inverter, battery converter and battery modules. Thanks to its enormous charging power, the storage unit needs only a short time to recharge when the sun is shining, while the equally remarkable discharging power is suitable even for power-intensive appliances. 

Optionally, the modern storage unit offers an emergency power function that automatically accesses a 3-phase backup power in the event of a power failure to maintain the supply by means of the storage unit and PV system. In the future, the integration of the energy manager into Hager's domovea smart home system will enable networking with other intelligent systems. 

At this year's Light + Building, Hager's compact flow energy storage unit is the winner of the Design Plus Award. At the leading trade fair, where a wealth of new products from various companies are traditionally presented, Hager's innovation will be put in the spotlight by the specialist jury. At the company’s stand in Hall 12, Hager goes beyond just one product to illustrate how competence and a wealth of ideas characterise its entire portfolio.

As a leading provider of solutions and services in the field of electrotechnical installations, Hager – including the Berker and Elcom brands – invites you to an exciting programme with numerous application examples for architects and planners at the Frankfurt exhibition centre, which interested parties can also view online at hager.de/lb2022. On site and digitally, it will become clear how the company, which became known for its meter and distribution cabinets, is shaping the future with energy - technically, aesthetically and practically.

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