Virtual batteries.

[C.R.J.]

In Spain, companies are now promoting 'Virtual batteries'.
I don't have the full details, but in general terms...........
Change supplier to one that offers virtual batteries.
The Virtual batteries cost circa 10 euros per month which is an admin & usage fee.
Any excess solar energy you produce is 'stored'.
You are compensated at the spot price of electricity (OMIE) at the end of the month. https://www.omie.es/es/market-result...e-hourly-price
For example. total electiricty bill for 1 month 40euros. (Remember you are still using your own solar energy)
Excess stored on virtual battery 45 euros. 40 euros discounted from your bill. Final bill zero.
5 euros carried over to next month.
Now in the winter or non sun days you will probably have no excess to put in the virtual batteries.
Conversely, in the summer you will have a high excess going to the virtual batteries.
So you effectively store excess in the summer for use in the winter.
Surely this should be cheaper than installing batteries?
I have not posted a link to any of the solar companies in Spain, (am i allowed to do that?) but a quick google of 'Bateria virtual', should suffice.

Any thoughts on this?
CRJ

[J.P.M.]

If it isn't a scam, sounds like the benefits of NEM without the POCO being involved. I'd see if it lasts a year and look for user comments.

[SunEagle]

To me it sounds like someone is trying to rent battery capacity to a user. But as always you have to include the POCO or the people that own the transmission lines between the user and virtual battery which should also include a charge to use those lines.

[bcroe]

It sounds like a variation on Net Metering. I would check just
how many KWh they can store. Here 12,000 KWh get stored
in summer, taken back in winter. Not practical with real batteries.
Bruce Roe

[azdave]

It just seems like one more company trying to position themselves between the customer and the utility and take a part of the transaction for profit. Is there real value added to what they are doing? Do the electric utility providers in Spain not already offer grid-tie agreements directly to solar customers?

[C.R.J.]

From what I can find out, it is a form of net metering. The companies providing the 'virtual batteries' are also the supplier of your electricity. They are not one of the big players in Spain like Iberdrola & Endesa. Both of those companies provide net metering but at 30% of the price you pay for your supply from them. Also both of them do not carry over to the following month. That is, if you have a credit of 50 euros through net metering, for say january, the 50 euros is credited against your bill for january only. If your bill was 40 euros, 10 euros is lost. They also only credit you against your use of energy. They do not apply the credit against all the rental charges for equipment. In Spain those rental charges make up on average 45 euros of your bill. The virtual battery companies levy the credit against the whole bill.
I currently only know personally one person who has recently signed with the virtual batteries. I am going to monitor how it works out for him over the next few months. I am somewhat sceptical at this point in time about the process.

[C.R.J.]

It just seems like one more company trying to position themselves between the customer and the utility and take a part of the transaction for profit. Is there real value added to what they are doing? Do the electric utility providers in Spain not already offer grid-tie agreements directly to solar customers?

The same companies that have virtual batteries, are also smaller utility providers. The main utility providers (Iberdrola, Endesa) offer a low return. Typically 30-35% of the price you pay for it. However, any excess is not carried over to subsequent months.
From what i have seen so far, several solar companies are promoting this venture with a partnership with the virual battery companies.
Is it sustainable? I don't know. It has not been available for very long. (less than a year).