The Internet of Energy

Electrical energy from wind turbines, solar panels and hydrogen fuel cells must be generated and used in a cost-effective way. This, in turn, necessitates increasing the resilience of the energy system and improving supply security. This trend is making the once diverse worlds of photovoltaics, energy storage, and e-mobility increasingly intertwined.

While households deploy a combination of solar cell installations, storage systems, and wall boxes in an effort to become prosumers, new commercial business models are emerging. Companies are, for instance, running charging infrastructure and using second-life EV batteries for mass storage.

Europe’s goal of generating 45% of its energy in the electricity system by 2030 is no mean feat. Even though more than 150 countries have renewable power regularity policies and a global installed renewable energy capacity of 3,146GW, only by increasing the deployment of energy storage technologies can we achieve this target.

Markus Lorenz, Director, Industry Marketing, Industrial EMEA, TTI Inc., further discusses.

Energy storage for decarbonisation

The European Commission recently released a set of proposals on energy storage along with specific actions that EU nations may take to ensure its wider adoption. Storage is essential for decarbonising our energy system, according to analysis. It provides better penetration of renewable energy in the power system by enabling significant amounts of excess electricity to be stored and used later when it is needed. Storage also can let users control their energy consumption in accordance with prices and their needs while lowering electricity prices during peak hours. Lastly, energy storage technologies make it easier to electrify several economic sectors, particularly buildings and transportation.

The changing energy landscape

In the traditional model, end users directly use the energy that is produced and distributed in a large grid. However, the landscape is changing dramatically. Some households are already producing their own energy, mainly via solar panels mounted on the roof. In most cases, the panels are rated to produce between 250 and 400W per hour, which is up to 2.5kW-hours of electricity per day. Many Governments offered a feed-in tariff whereby the householder received payments for any electricity not used. But because these payments were usually capped and some of the feed-in tariffs have ended, using as much electricity as possible was advisable – hence storing energy in a battery and using it at night is now becoming the norm for so-called prosumers.

Energy storage also enables stable pricing by managing demand from consumers proactively. Having the opportunity to purchase lower-cost energy for future use allows consumers to stock it up. This accumulated energy later helps in reducing the grid loads during peak times, while prosumers save money by buying energy at a lower cost.

Similarly, smaller smart grids are now generating energy that can be transmitted back to the larger grid or stored for later use. With a large number of multi-level energy producers and consumers, the energy grid is becoming increasingly decentralised. In some cases, multiple regions within a country are generating energy independently without being connected to the grid.

Digitisation of machines and devices at all levels of the power system, from production and infrastructure to end-user devices, is therefore needed. Energy 4.0, or the Internet of Energy (IoE), addresses several of these challenges. Implementing intelligent distributed control through energy transactions between its users offers greater efficiency and better stabilisation compared to centralised grid architectures.

Energy providers and users

As businesses adopt the smart grid, energy storage hubs are popping up around the globe. Companies like Zenobe Energy design, finance, build and operate battery storage solutions. These independent providers use smart battery storage as a short-term backup to stabilise supply and demand on the grid. Some firms have strategically placed green hydrogen production and hydrogen fuel cell battery installations for longer-term backup.

Other than these distributed energy resources, the electric vehicle (EV) market is probably the most prominent and impending use case for energy storage. Today’s public charging infrastructure has some significant shortcomings. Though most people avoid filling up at service stations because of the higher fuel costs, sometimes we have to. Here, fast-charging infrastructure is already available, but the number of charging points is still very low. With more and more EVs on the roads, banks of 20-30 charging points that can be operated at the same time will be necessary. Often sited in remote locations, power grid stability is a must; therefore, installation of local green hydrogen production with hydrogen fuel cell batteries as backup is a likely scenario.

Resources for supporting IoE development

Effective, adaptable, and modular components are becoming increasingly common in these settings. TTI continues to support IoE development by stocking new component solutions for the market and offering specialist advice. Designers of power distribution units and battery packs can learn more about the latest high-voltage (HV) connection systems. Manufacturers of charging stations, wall boxes and small vehicles will be interested in the newest AC and DC outlets, charge cables and inlets, while engineers working on HV power inverters can receive more information on the latest MOSFET solutions, HV capacitors, and fuses.

Energy storage innovations will have a big impact on how quickly renewable energy sources and electric vehicles are adopted. These technologies are essential for reducing our reliance on fossil fuels and transitioning to a decarbonised economy. Whatever type of design, whatever part of the design process, TTI is ready to help advance the future of renewable energy infrastructure, transportation, and e-mobility. As a trusted electronic component distributor for over 50 years, TTI offers the industry's broadest inventory of interconnect, passive, high-voltage, sensor and electromechanical products, and the specialists who know all about it.