PoliGrid uses photovoltaic inverters to supply reactive power to Milan distribution grid overnight

Type: Supply Agreement · Technology: Solar · Country: Italy · Capacity: 500 kVAr · Announced: 2026-09-08

Researchers from the Polytechnic of Milan used photovoltaic inverters to inject 500 kilovoltamperios reactivos (kVAr) of inductive reactive power into Milan's distribution grid during the night of September 8-9, 2026. The demonstration was part of the MindFlex pilot project, driven by Unareti, and utilized the PoliGrid facility at the university. The inverters, connected to the PoliGrid photovoltaic systems, supplied reactive power for four consecutive hours between 1:00 and 5:00 AM, proving that existing solar assets can provide grid regulation services even when not generating electricity. The service was coordinated via the LePo energy management system and the Optimo IoT architecture, using Huawei SUN2000 inverters and SmartLogger 3000 units. This pilot demonstrates that distributed energy resources can contribute to grid management and voltage regulation, potentially improving supply quality and reducing network losses and system costs. The experiment confirmed that photovoltaic inverters can operate in reactive power mode during nighttime hours without active solar generation, leveraging their available capacity. The infrastructure IoT platform Optimo, based on ComAp devices, enabled communication between the SmartLogger units and the EMS, allowing continuous adjustment of inverter setpoints to reach the target 500 kVAr against a reference line. The trial formed part of the SIMBIOsi project funded by the Italian Ministry of Environment and Energy Security (MASE).

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