Technology
Fox ESS combines 118.3 kWp of solar with hybrid storage at a French farm
Two T-MAX Plus Hybrid systems shift surplus solar and off-peak electricity to support continuous ventilation, temperature control and other farm loads.
Fox ESS has recently completed another agricultural solar-plus-storage application in France. By deploying two T-MAX Plus Hybrid systems, the livestock farm can generate solar electricity, store energy when appropriate and use it according to demand, giving the operator greater control over its energy supply.
Project overview
PV capacity: 118.3 kWp.
Storage configuration: two T-MAX Plus Hybrid systems.
Application: an energy-intensive farm.
Location: northwestern France.
Livestock farming is typically energy-intensive. Temperature-control and ventilation systems operate around the clock throughout the year, while feeding and cleaning equipment can create short peaks in demand when they start together. Using solar generation and off-peak electricity storage to reduce operating costs is therefore a practical concern for many European farm operators.
At this farm on the Brittany peninsula in northwestern France, Fox ESS worked with a local installer to deploy a 118.3 kWp PV system and two T-MAX Plus Hybrid storage systems. The batteries store surplus daytime solar generation and can also charge during off-peak grid periods, making electricity available for agricultural production during higher-demand periods.
T-MAX Plus Hybrid storage system
The solar-plus-storage installation uses the hybrid systems' charging and discharging capabilities to schedule energy flexibly:
Integrated design: batteries, PCS, BMS, temperature control, safety equipment and power distribution are combined in one standard enclosure. An integrated 125 kW three-phase hybrid inverter supports a factory-preconfigured, plug-and-play installation approach.
Safety: Fox ESS describes a five-level safety architecture, compartmentalised design and preventive alarms, and states that the system has UL 9540A certification. Liquid cooling is intended to keep the temperature difference between cells at or below 2°C.
Battery performance: the company states a maximum capacity of 241 kWh, support for 100% depth of discharge and a cycle life of 8,000 cycles.
Intelligent operation and maintenance: supported tasks include peak shaving, load regulation, coordinated PV and storage control and frequency regulation. Operating data can be uploaded to a cloud platform over Ethernet or 4G for remote monitoring and management.
Fox ESS presents the project as another example of agricultural solar-plus-storage deployment in France. The system is intended to make the farm's electricity supply more controllable, lower operating costs and support a transition toward lower-carbon agricultural production.
The company says its product range, installation approach and service teams provide flexible energy solutions for C&I applications ranging from shops and factories to farms and livestock facilities.