Press Release: It is becoming increasingly clear that the energy transition is something that can no longer be disputed in Europe. It is required in a variety of ways by governments in and outside the EU, and it affects essentially all sectors of the economy. The key to decarbonisation in most European countries will be renewable sources, especially solar and wind power plants. And of course, this is a costly and lengthy process. Its importance is currently enhanced by the European Union's efforts to eliminate dependence on Russian fossil resources before the year 2030. These goals have been summarized in a new joint plan of European countries called REPowerUp Europe, which defines ways to get safer, more sustainable and more affordable energy and accelerate electrification overall. In this article, we will focus on solar energy, or photovoltaics, the problems of obtaining it and distribution to the network, and we will present some of the already implemented projects.
1. The coming years will see changes in the way we obtain and distribute electricity. What role will solar energy play in this regard?
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The growth of solar electricity production is essential in a situation where the demand for a cleaner and safer environment is growing. Solar energy is already a significant source in the Czech Republic, generating 3% of all electricity production annually, and the total potential is far from being utilized. A multiple increase in the share of solar electricity in the Czech energy mix can be expected, which will also lead to raising the energy system to a new level with a transformation similar to that caused by the Internet in the dissemination of information. This change will require the need for new technical solutions for the joint balanced operation of multiple sources and energy storages so that they overlap and complement each other. It will also be necessary to expand business cooperation between large and small suppliers and consumers in a situation where consumers will simultaneously become suppliers, or prosumers.
2. What photovoltaic projects are you working on at EEIC?
Eaton has a wide range of products for the distribution and handling of solar energy from classic switches, circuit breakers, fuses made specifically for solar power plants, to the xStorage battery storage series for storing solar energy. For example, at the EEIC innovation center in Roztoky near Prague, we are working on a new type of protection in the distribution lines of solar power plants against arcing faults, which can occur due to imperfect connections or damage to the wiring, and inoneThis can lead to a fire. As part of a project to connect various Eaton products into one system, we are working with the xStorage unit HomeThis device includes a battery pack and a hybrid inverter. xStorage Home offers you the storage of solar energy, renewable energy produced during the day for use in the morning, noon and evening. Also in the event of a power outage, the xStorage system provides Home energy to households, for example for lighting and security systems.
We are also working on microgrid control, which is an electrical system that can work together with the distribution network, but can also disconnect and work independently for some time, for example in the event of a fault in the distribution system. We have installed a solar power plant with a capacity ofonem up to 17 kWp and we plan to expand it by an additional 30 kWp this year.
3. How does photovoltaics fit into the whole concept of the energy transition to sustainable sources?
Solar power plants, in addition to being a renewable resource, fit significantly into the concept of consumer participation in the electricity market, which is an essential part of the concept of sustainable development of electricity and of human society as a whole. In addition to regulating consumption and storing energy, people or businesses can thus participate in the production of electricity, each on a scale that is accessible to them. Such an opportunity to create power plants of various sizes with efficiency, price and maintenance accessible to both ordinary people and businesses or energy companies is a specific feature of solar generation. ProEnergy production, for example from coal or biomass, wind and other sources, involves operating costs that make it disadvantageous for small volumes of production, thus limiting its ownership almost exclusively to energy companies and large businesses, thus excluding households.
4. Are some of your projects from this area already in the phase of real use?
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The solar projects of our innovation center often fall under research and thus have a longer path to the market, usually via pilot installations. Of the projects we've been involved in as part of Eaton's global team, this is xStorage Home, which has been available on the European and world market for over four years. It is also a microgrid control system that is being piloted at Eaton facilities and several locations in the United States. We are currently working on the installation of a pilot microgrid connecting classic alternating current and newly direct current systems with advanced self-regulation and resilience properties. As another example of existing projects using solar energy is Eaton xStorage system integration Home to the xComfort home automation system. xComfort users via SHC (Smart Home Controller) will gain remote access to data from the battery storage and have the ability to define basic energy management scenarios, e.g. optimizing domestic water heating depending on the energy production from solar panels and the current state of the battery storage.
5. What major Eaton-wide PV or energy storage projects can you name?
Certainly Johan Cruijff Arena in Amsterdam and energy storage solutions at a football stadium to cover peak demand during sporting events, which also includes providing support services to the distribution company in the area of regulating the electricity grid outside of event times. Then I would like to mention the Eaton Wadeville microgrid project in South Africa, where we provide power generation for our factory in situations of frequent power outages and thereby reduce electricity costs. In line with our sustainability goals set for 2030, we recently installed solar panels at the Busag factory in Romania to reduce the carbon footprint of our production facility. As part of the internal GreenUp Awards, which provide financfor internal sustainability projects, our innovation center in Roztoky won the financexpanding solar panels, energy storage and chargers for electric cars.
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