On the roof of Shandong Taikai High Voltage Switchgear Company in the Tai'an High-tech Industrial Development Zone, rows of photovoltaic panels shine under the sun. [Photo/Tai'an Daily]

On the roof of Shandong Taikai High Voltage Switchgear Company in the Tai'an High-tech Industrial Development Zone, rows of photovoltaic panels shine under the sun, powering a flexible microgrid system that efficiently supplies clean and stable electricity to the facility.

With an independently developed hybrid AC/DC flexible microgrid system achieving an impressive "PV self-use rate exceeding 88 percent and annual electricity cost savings of 5.72 million yuan ($780,980.22)", Taikai Industrial Park has become the first industrial park in Shandong to scale the "PV-storage-direct-flexible" technology application.

Inside Shandong Taikai High Voltage Switchgear Company's factory, an intelligent control system displays real-time energy consumption data. Through the flexible microgrid system, the enterprise seamlessly switches and optimizes between solar power, energy storage, and the grid.

"In the past, we relied on the traditional grid, facing high electricity prices during peak hours and weak risk resistance, resulting in annual electricity costs of up to 21 million yuan," said Li Wei, project manager of the Taikai microgrid.

"Now, through intelligent algorithms dynamically adjusting the solar-storage ratio, over 20 percent of our annual electricity usage is green energy. In the Taikai PV-storage-direct-flexible Industrial Park, all equipment operates on DC power, with systems like air conditioning and lighting directly powered by solar energy, ensuring zero-carbon operations in the office and automatic adjustments based on electricity demand. Solar power takes priority and excess power is stored for backup, guaranteeing uninterrupted production and reducing energy costs," said Li. 

The system is expected to generate 11.21 million kWh annually, reducing energy costs by over 15 percent, and to cut carbon dioxide emissions by over 9,300 metric tons, equivalent to planting 480,000 trees, according to Li.

"The Tai'an High-tech Industrial Development Zone has offered us tremendous support with the project," Li said.

"With the government's green channel, the project went from blueprint to reality in just 18 months." With policy support, Taikai was successfully selected as a national-level green factory and secured special provincial green manufacturing funds, forming a closed-loop of technological research and market application, further accelerating technological iterations.

"We aim to have more companies adopt the green energy package," stated Song Hongpeng, head of the zone. The zone is currently promoting the integration of microgrid technology into park planning standards, aiming for full coverage of key enterprises within the next three years.