Some locations (e.g. Velké Němčice, Agro Haná) are also connected to Domat ContPort, an energy management system that allows owners a quick but detailed overview of all important energy parameters.
So far, the most recently implemented installation is a pair of cogeneration units in Kostelec na Hané. This installation is particularly interesting because one CHP unit is owned by the customer, while the other is half owned by the customer and RAYO. The boiler room and storage is also owned by the customer. Therefore, energy and gas taken are measured for each CHP separately. Cogeneration units have their own control systems, Domat coordinates resources and ensures comprehensive supervision of energy production and consumption. One installation contains about 100 physical data points.
In general, a CHP with a nominal output of 1 MW produces 1 MW of electricity and 2.6 MW of heat. Electric energy is produced both for power balance services and for the needs of the daily and spot markets. The produced heat is continuously stored in the storage part and is used for heating the greenhouse, the needs of which are independent of the operation of the CHP. Modified carbon dioxide is also used, which is consumed in the greenhouse - it improves the conditions for plant growth. For some installations, CHP also supplies energy to grow lighting.
Units with a nominal output of 1 MW and 2 MW are installed in Kostelec na Hané. In a greenhouse with an area of approx. Tomatoes are now grown on 150,000 m2, but also cucumbers or houseplants in other locations. For interest: at the one-megawatt KGJ, 2,356 MWh of electricity and 11,550 GJ of heat were produced during operation in the period from September 2022 to May 2023, with the consumption of 550,000 Nm3 of gas.
A control system with a clear display of current and historical data is a basic condition for successful commissioning and long-term regulation. Each installation is tuned for at least one winter season, but data from several years of operation is required to evaluate the long-term economics of operation and payback period. This is exactly what ContPort is for, which, together with the visualization of process data, is a powerful tool for diagnosing errors, preventing malfunctions and evaluating possible suggestions for improving the function, because each technology is unique in its own way and requires feedback and occasional corrective measures for optimal operation.
