Without a doubt, solar photovoltaics (PV) generate power with the best energy quality. Indeed, it is the only technology that can produce energy which has the highest degree of utilization, is free of emissions, independent of logistics and needs almost no maintenance. However, PV’s potential has not yet been fully tapped by any means.

Today, PV is no longer just used as part of a pocket calculator, but above all as a reliable, efficient component for houses, roofs and façades. If the technology is used in this way, consumers can directly use the power generated – in other words, they can manage energy issues in the house the same way as they do with appliances. It is not until PV power is used directly by people themselves that any systematic optimization of energy quality can be achieved.

The specialist term for this energy quality is exergy and refers to that part of the energy which is used directly and without any loss. Instead of feeding PV power into the supply grid, consumers benefit more, from the exergetic point of view, from using energy directly where it is produced – which entails no grid losses and is  better for the environment and more economical.

Up to now, and for organizational reasons, most countries have used the – actually more inefficient – grid feed system as the remuneration model for the production of PV power. At first there was no alternative to the necessary large­scale power stations which were to stimulate the market. People thought in terms of centrally organized power supplies, not of networks or consumers producing power for their own requirements.

Today, as a result, so­called “smart meters”, i.e. digital metering equipment, are supposed not only to provide better integration of allegedly unstable sources of power such as wind power and PV, but also reduce losses, costs and peak loads in the supply grids.

However, this approach, although basically right, primarily benefits the grid operator. Consumers can only react to certain times and tariffs for their power and switch their appliances on or off accordingly. Grid losses still remain and, in addition, consumers continue to get their power from the open market at steadily rising prices while the grid­feed remuneration is fixed for the next twenty years at least. Accordingly, in the long term the people concerned pay more for the electricity they buy than what they get for the electricity they feed into the grid.

It makes more sense, and is cheaper, for people to manage their power supplies themselves. No electricity grid can be shorter than the one they use for their own supply – i.e. from the solar panels on the roof to the washing machine in the house. Consumers themselves can decide to optimize their power supply and appliances as end­users. Even conversion losses can be used  sensibly, e.g. for heating purposes.

What is more, the frequently criticized weaknesses in PV systems are no longer part of today’s reality. Costs are falling steadily, and in many European countries nowadays the personal use of PV power is actually being subsidized – including the exchange of power in the neighbourhood. Storage technology has been improved and is due to make further great leaps in its development. Added to this is a new grid managed by consumers themselves – electric mobility, i.e. electric cars. Using their mobile storage capacity they can exchange power with buildings and ‘refuel’ on PV power in solar power stations. Utopia? No. Scenarios like this one are being pursued intensively by large com panies, which see in them chances for new markets and exchanges.

systaic is the only supplier of PV technology which is proficient in both the mobile field and building integrated PV, as well as in the construction of solar power stations. The principle that good power should be used even better is at the centre of our work.


Michael Pack
Chief Executive Officer
systaic AG