Reliable solar mobility round the clock

In Norderstedt Adlerhorst Baugenossenschaft eG has created an attractive residential facility in green surroundings in the form of "Quartier 452."

It has even broken new ground with the lifts’ energy supply. For the first time in Germany seven lifts are in use that can operate exclusively on solar power.

First construction section with 78 flats

Norderstedt in Schleswig-Holstein is booming. Not only thanks to a good location in the Hamburg metropolitan region, but also thanks to high cultural and leisure values. More than 2000 Norderstedt citizens are in future to find a new home in the area of the "Garstedt Triangle", not far from the underground line to Hamburg. "Quartier 452" of the local residential construction company Adlerhorst is part of the new residential area.

The first construction section with 78 flats, of which 42 were created at 2 Förderweg, has been occupied since February. Thanks to the integration of glazed balconies in the rhythmically structured buildings, the tenants can enjoy the sunny side despite the proximity to the main road.

All buildings have been constructed to be barrier-free; every floor can be reached conveniently by lift from the underground garage to the penthouse. The KfW 55 efficiency buildings are heated with environmentally friendly generated district heating. The heating warmth is in addition generated by combined heat and power coupling.

Hybrid power manager as the centrepiece

Lifts from Schindler set new standards in sustainability; the first seven went into operation in January 2016. Schindler 3300 Solar lifts can be operated round-the-clock with photovoltaic electricity. Research results from the longstanding partnership between the solar aircraft project Solar Impulse and the Schindler lift manufacturer were integrated in the development.

The centrepiece of the lift solution is the hybrid power manager (HPM) that can efficiently combine photovoltaics, energy regeneration and grid electricity. The so-called energy storage device (ESD) takes care of intermediate storage and reduces power peaks. This is because peaks, such as weather-dependent fluctuations in solar energy or also a technically-related increased starting current of the lift drive, should as far as possible be avoided during the use of regenerative energy.

This results in another advantage: the infrastructure can be designed to be smaller. With reference to the solar lifts in Norderstedt, this means: whereas the conventional lift solutions need a 400 Volt three-phase connection of up to 8 kWp, the Schindler solar lifts manage with a domestically customary 230 Volt connection and 1.6 kWp. The lift is always powered via the HPM and battery. There is no direct connection between the drive and building grid.

Based on the Schindler 3300

The solar lift is based on the Schindler 3300, which is designed for use in residential buildings and smaller commercial buildings. In addition, it is designed for especially energy-saving operation. The series model can already optionally be equipped with a drive system that feeds excess kinetic energy back via an inverter.

The recuperation effect arises in heavily loaded cars during the downward trip, but also when the car is lighter than the counterweight during the upward trip. In the Schindler 3300 Solar this energy recuperation, similarly to a hybrid lift, is used to charge the energy storage.

The greater part of the energy needed is provided by a small photovoltaic system per system, which is mounted close to the lift shaft on the shaft. This always charges the energy storage with as much solar energy as possible.

The system is so effective that lift operation with regenerative energy is even guaranteed at night. A mains connection is available, but only as an emergency backup. Flat screen televisions in the technology room provide graphic representations of the solar-generated energy and consumption. Those who rely on green mobility after all also want to know how effectively the system is working.

Stefan Janßen, Schindler Aufzüge und Fahrtreppen GmbH

www.schindler.com