Difference between Comfort and Green mode
Overview
This articles describes the differences between Comfort and Green mode for solar charging.
Comfort Mode
In Comfort Mode, the charging point will charge at least at the set Comfort level, regardless of whether there is a surplus of solar energy. This ensures that the vehicle will be adequately charged, regardless of the situation. The charging point will only charge faster if there is more surplus solar energy than the set Comfort level. This mode is suitable if you are uncertain about whether there will be sufficient solar energy production to adequately charge your vehicle.
Solar Charging allows an Alfen charger to use surplus energy generated by solar panels to charge an electric vehicle.
For example:
Solar production: 5 kW
Home consumption: 2 kW
Available solar surplus: 3 kW
In this situation, the charger can use the available 3 kW surplus to charge the vehicle.
Important: Phase Switching
To achieve the best Solar Charging performance, Phase Switching is recommended.
Phase Switching allows the charger to automatically switch between 3-phase and 1-phase charging when solar production is lower. This makes it possible to continue charging at lower power levels and maximize the use of available solar energy.
This allows charging to start from approximately 1.4 kW (on a typical 230 V installation).
Solar Charging offers two charging modes:
Comfort Mode
Green Mode
The difference between these modes is how the charger behaves when there is insufficient solar surplus available.
Comfort Mode
Overview
Comfort Mode ensures that the vehicle charges at a minimum charging power defined by the user.
The charger always uses available solar energy first. If there is insufficient solar surplus available, the charger automatically supplements the required power from the grid. If additional solar energy becomes available, the charger increases the charging power accordingly.
Example: Comfort Level set to 2 kW
Scenario 1: No solar surplus available
Solar surplus: 0 kW
Comfort Level: 2 kW
Result:
The vehicle charges at 2 kW.
All charging power is supplied from the grid.
Scenario 2: Limited solar surplus available
Solar surplus: 1 kW
Comfort Level: 2 kW
Result:
1 kW is supplied by solar energy.
1 kW is supplied by the grid.
The vehicle charges at 2 kW.
Scenario 3: High solar surplus available
Solar surplus: 5 kW
Comfort Level: 2 kW
Result:
The vehicle charges at 5 kW.
All available solar surplus is used.
No grid power is required.
The configured Comfort Level acts only as a minimum charging level.
When to use Comfort Mode
Comfort Mode is recommended when charging certainty is the priority.
Use Comfort Mode when:
The vehicle must be consistently charged at the set Comfort level.
Available solar energy should be used whenever possible, exceeding the set Comfort level.
Using grid power when needed is acceptable.
Green Mode
Overview
Green Mode is designed to only use surplus solar energy.
The charger continuously adjusts the charging power based on the available solar surplus. When more solar energy becomes available, charging power increases. When less solar energy is available, charging power decreases.
Unlike Comfort Mode, Green Mode does not use a minimum set charging power level.
Instead, Green Mode includes a configurable percentage that determines how much solar energy must be available before charging can start or continue. This helps prevent charging from repeatedly starting and stopping when solar production temporarily fluctuates.
How the Green Mode percentage works
To start charging, the charger requires a minimum charging power.
When Phase Switching is enabled on a typical 230 V installation, this is approximately 1.4 kW.
The configured Green Mode percentage determines how much of this minimum required power must come from solar energy.
Example: Green Mode set to 100%
Minimum charging power required:
1.4 kW
Green Mode setting:
100%
Result:
Charging starts only when at least 1.4 kW of solar surplus is available.
The full minimum charging power must come from solar energy.
No grid power is used to reach the start threshold.
If less than 1.4 kW of solar surplus is available, charging stops.
Example: Green Mode set to 80%
Minimum charging power required:
1.4 kW
Green Mode setting:
80%
Result:
At least 1.12 kW must come from solar surplus to start/continue charging.
Up to 0.28 kW may come from the grid.
Charging can start earlier and is less likely to stop during short fluctuations in solar production.
Example: Green Mode set to 50%
Minimum charging power required:
1.4 kW
Green Mode setting:
50%
Result:
At least 0.7 kW must come from solar surplus to start/continue charging.
Up to 0.7 kW may come from the grid.
Charging becomes less sensitive to temporary changes in solar production.
Available solar surplus during charging
The Green Mode percentage only affects the conditions required to start or continue charging.
It does not limit the charging power.
Example: 5 kW solar surplus available
Solar surplus: 5 kW
Result:
The vehicle charges at 5 kW.
The available solar surplus is fully utilized.
No grid power is used.
Important
The Green Mode percentage is not a charging power setting; the configured percentage only determines how much solar energy must be available to start or maintain charging. Once charging is active, the charger uses as much available solar surplus as possible.
When to use Green Mode
Green Mode is recommended when maximizing solar self-consumption is the primary goal.
Use Green Mode when:
Maximum use of solar energy is desired.
Enough solar surplus capacity is available to keep the charging going.
Grid energy consumption should be minimized.
Variable charging speeds are acceptable.