Patricia Cavalcanti Renewable Energy Interview

A New Generation Renewable Energy Home Battery by SENEC

Australians have been waiting too long for a good reason to install a battery to store energy provided by our giving sun and PV solar panels.

Among many of the disadvantages in the past have been: their inferior quality; the warranty of only 10 years; the weight of more than 200kg that makes it very difficult to hang on a wall; the waiting time to actually get one; the hefty installation cost; and all the extra add-ons such as safety features that really should be part of the unit cost.

Well, hold on to your seats because a unique new battery is being launched at All-Energy that will set the benchmark from which other batteries will follow.

Think double the warranty, half the weight, AC & DC coupled, instant savings of $4,000, German-designed and built quality, 97% efficiency and MUCH more.

Interview with Patricia Cavalcanti, SENEC Chief Operating Officer

Question: Can you tell us about the new generation renewable energy home battery by SENEC?

Patricia Cavalcanti: Our new hybrid solar battery was unveiled at the All Energy Australia 2019 Expo in Melbourne last month. The SENEC.Home V3 Hybrid can provide households with up to 90 per cent solar power self-sufficiency, boasts a 20-year extended warranty and is the only battery to offer unlimited solar recharging cycles in the Australian market. Homeowners with photovoltaic (PV) solar panels may only need to draw 10 per cent of their current usage from the grid, potentially saving them thousands of dollars a year. The hybrid battery means that an additional PV inverter isn't required. Part of the storage system is a hybrid inverter, which converts both the current flowing from the PV panels into the storage system and the current discharged from it (AC/DC).


Question: How long has SENEC been developing and testing this battery?

Patricia Cavalcanti: SENEC is 100% owned by EnBW Energie Baden-Württemberg AG, one of the largest energy supply companies in Germany and Europe. Following a decade of domestic success, SENEC has expanded internationally, with Australia becoming a key focus for the German manufacturer. Having established a retail network throughout the country, SENEC is now poised to become a household name in the world's fastest growing storage market.

With over 30,000 systems sold worldwide, SENEC is one of the world's most popular brands for innovative energy and storage solutions. SENEC has been repeatedly honoured by EuPD Research as a Top PV Brand Power Storage.

SENEC works closely with more than 650 competent and certified specialist partners in Germany. With their sophisticated memory-based energy solutions, SENEC gives people the freedom to generate, use and share their sustainable energy.


Question: How does the new SENEC home battery change the battery market?

Patricia Cavalcanti: There is a reason why SENEC has won several awards and is a market leader in Germany. The new SENEC.Home V3 Hybrid delivers a range of benefits that haven't been seen in the solar industry before including a 20-year warranty, a combined PV inverter and battery inverter, PV over-voltage protection safety as standard, three-tier remote monitoring (every five minutes), unlimited solar recharging cycles and floor mounting rather than wall mounting for ease of installation.


Question: What do you believe is the best feature about the new SENEC home battery?

Patricia Cavalcanti: A key design feature of the SENEC.Home V3 Hybrid battery is that an additional PV inverter isn't required. Part of the storage system is a hybrid inverter, which converts both the current flowing from the PV panels into the storage system and the current discharged from it. This not only gives the battery 97.4 per cent efficiency, but saves the customer having to purchase and install a separate PV inverter. The extended warranty includes the inverter, this is an incredible added bonus for the end user.


Question: Why does this new battery give householders a good reason to install a battery to store solar energy?

Patricia Cavalcanti: The new SENEC battery is 100 per cent designed, engineered and manufactured in Germany, and exemplifies the most well-made home battery in the world. SENEC Australia provides Australian owners 100% complete local support and service. The safety features that come standard with the hybrid battery are unmatched anywhere in the world. They include:
An AC/DC customer integrated Residual Current Monitoring Unit (RCMU) that detects AC and DC residual currents. It filters and detects AC and DC false currents to protect components from hazardous currents.

Two DC-over-voltage protection units (one per MPP-SPD Type II) on the PV side, which saves the unit when lightning strikes the PV panels.

In addition to some of other key features already mentioned such as reduction in power bills by up to 90%, 20-year extended warranty and combined PV and battery inverter (saving customers an extra $3,000), the SENEC.Home V3 Hybrid is also one of the most intelligent storage systems available in Australia.

It has available a three-tier remote monitoring (customer, SENEC Australia and its installers, and SENEC Germany) that can be delivered via the SENEC App, which monitors the PV production and house consumption every five minutes. SENEC's multi-award-winning solar battery storage system has been designed, engineered and manufactured in Germany. Importantly, Australian customers are given complete local Australian service and support.

Unlike other solar batteries on the market, SENEC does not need to be wall-mounted. Its space-saving design makes installation simple and quick. With a footprint of just 0.29 square meters and removable side panels, it is compact and easy to install.

Another unique feature is when an AC grid is offline or there is a power failure or blackout. The SENEC emergency power supply is still able to charge the battery with the PV panels unlike most of our competitors.


Question: What's next for SENEC?
Patricia Cavalcanti: With the launch of our SENEC.Home V3 Hybrid in Australia last month, we are now more determined ever to become a household name in Australia, and help Australians with solar panels become up to 90% solar power independent throughout Australia. We hope to continue winning awards that are a testament to the quality of our product and give Australians the freedom to generate, use and share their sustainable energy.


Interview by Brooke Hunter