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<\/p>\nFinca La Cuesta, an agricultural operation in Puebla del Pr\u00edncipe in Ciudad Real, Spain, completed the second phase of an energy self-consumption project in July, combining 150 kW of solar generation with a 125 kW\/257 kWh BESS. The solution, implemented by Elecnor using equipment supplied by Suministros Ordu\u00f1a, is designed to reduce the farm\u2019s electricity costs by 75% to 80%.<\/p>\n
The project addresses a consumption profile typical of some agricultural operations, with relatively high and consistent electricity demand associated with pumping and other processes required for the farm\u2019s daily operations.<\/p>\n
The installation was developed in two stages. The first, completed in July 2025, added 150 kW of solar capacity using three 50 kW Sungrow SG50CX-P2 inverters. This initial phase reduced the electricity bill by 30% to 35%.<\/p>\n
After analyzing the farm\u2019s consumption profile for a year, the project was expanded with a 125 kW\/257 kWh storage system. The aim of the second phase is to increase the share of solar energy used directly or through storage, avoiding the need to export excess generation during periods of high solar irradiance and subsequently purchase electricity when solar generation is insufficient.<\/p>\n
The BESS consists of a Sungrow PowerStack ST255CS, an AC-coupled storage system designed for commercial and industrial applications. The system can charge the batteries with excess solar generation and later discharge the stored energy according to the site\u2019s consumption needs and its defined energy strategy.<\/p>\n
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On the generation side, the three SG50CX-P2 inverters have four independent maximum power point tracking (MPPT) inputs, allowing different groups of modules to be managed separately and production to be optimized in response to differences in orientation, irradiance, or operating conditions.<\/p>\n
One of the project\u2019s main technical challenges was not simply installing the equipment but integrating and coordinating its energy flows.<\/p>\n
The three solar inverters, PowerStack system, and EMS300 energy management system (EMS) exchange information to adapt the storage system\u2019s operation to changes in the farm\u2019s electricity demand. This architecture allows the battery to respond to changes in consumption and enables solar generation to be used more efficiently.<\/p>\n
Energy management is therefore a key element in maximizing the economic value of the BESS. The system is not simply designed to increase self-consumption but to determine when the battery should charge and discharge based on solar generation, the site\u2019s demand profile, and electricity costs.<\/p>\n
The next planned phase involves more advanced system optimization through time-of-use energy arbitrage. Data recorded by the iSolarCloud monitoring platform will be used to adjust the EMS300 parameters based on the site\u2019s consumption profile, hourly electricity prices, power charges, and network tariffs.<\/p>\n
According to the project estimates, this strategy could increase the financial benefit of the installation by 10% to 15%.<\/p>\n
Monitoring will also allow the operators to assess the system\u2019s actual performance and progressively adjust the BESS operating parameters. The farm could also expand its storage capacity by adding another PowerStack unit. The medium-term goal is to achieve an energy self-sufficiency rate close to 100%.<\/p>\n
With the electricity bill expected to fall by 75% to 80%, the system reduces exposure to electricity prices while allowing a larger share of locally generated renewable electricity to be used.<\/p>\n
The project also reduces associated CO\u2082 emissions and provides continuous monitoring of the solar plant\u2019s performance and the storage system\u2019s condition. It also highlights the importance of sizing a BESS based on actual consumption data rather than treating storage as an independent component of the generation system.<\/p>\n