Five ways the Internet of Things could transform renewable energyNov. 12 - Guardian WebThe Internet of Things (IoT) - where everyday devices possess connectivity and feed into the wider digital landscape - is seen as crucial to the growth of renewable energy. The IoT will produce vast amounts of data and this new information will tell us more about human behaviour and provide us with systems and models to better predict and control energy usage. Better data has the potential to produce renewable energy more effectively and influence the way it is bought and sold. The internet could really disrupt the traditional energy sector and renewables could be the main beneficiaries. Here are five big developments to watch out for:
Today most of us are still passive consumers, buying energy from companies created in big centralised power stations. But better data and online platforms have the potential to create smarter and more democratic options, says Rob Saunders, head of energy at government agency Innovate UK. “Currently wholesale prices go up and down but consumers just buy at a flat rate.Companies with business models that are going to democratise energy use and allow people to decide on the energy system they want, are going to be successful.” Related: Can these five steps slash Norway’s emissions by 40% within 15 years? Such companies want to create “an internet of energy” where millions of consumers and small businesses are able to trade online their energy production and consumption. Among them is Upside Energy, run by CEO Graham Oakes, which has devised an online system whereby individuals and small businesses can sell off their surplus energy from batteries attached to solar panels, electric vehicles and hot water tanks. It is currently undergoing trials but plans a full commercial roll out in 2017. “We are aiming to get millions of diverse devices to coordinate with each other by allowing people to sell off unused energy. The impact will be lower costs, reduced environmental impact and greater reliability of supply,” says Oakes. Currently in Groningen, the Netherlands, 40 households are engaged in an experiment where they produce their own energy micro co-generation units, hybrid heat pumps, PV-solar panels, smart appliances, home energy storage and use it to charge electric vehicles. These households are also trading their energy via an automated ‘Powermatcher’ system. DNV GL, one of the companies behind the project, says it is attempting to set a new standard for sustainable living and that IoT is key to this.
On one hand energy production will become more localised, however renewables are more effective across larger grids. Super grids, where multiple countries are connected via high-voltage DC lines (HVDC) in a mesh-like system are beginning to take shape. According to Saunders, the use of big data is critical to making such a system effective. “The way new technologies are able to forecast weather patterns will help us mitigate the variability of supply. It will help us to forecast offshore wind supply and the output of solar farms across Europe. For a super grid, having the ability to predict how renewables will perform is critical.” Related: Five futuristic projects that could transform our coastlines
The IoT relies on the use of millions of sensors which in theory can be built into everyday household items and clothing. These sensors would open up a whole new world of data about human experience and possibilities for new inventions. But powering such sensors has been an issue as batteries are deemed impractical. One option is to add solar-powered cells to devices. However, this has proven to be problematic as power converter chips were not efficient enough, turning only about half the power collected by a solar cell into electricity. But researchers at MIT say they have created a new ultra-low power circuit which converts roughly 80% of captured energy directly into electricity. Furthermore, the new MIT circuit can both power devices and charge a battery, something that other circuits cannot do. Recently, at the Symposia on VLSI Technology and Circuits, developers Dina Reda El-Damak and Anantha Chandrakasan, suggested their chip has the potential to bridge the gap between IoT and solar power. “Our chip can allow users to operate ultra-low-power IoT devices via energy harvesting without a need for replacing or recharging the battery,” says El-Damak.
One of the big issues with power grids is that there are huge spikes in demand at key times. For instance, in the UK today millions of people turn their kettles on straight after Eastenders to make a cup of tea. But as more power devices are added to grids it is key that these spikes aren’t accentuated and big data is seen as a way to balance out this demand. Related: Connecting ship and shore: broadband at sea is making waves One business keen on this idea is electric car charging company Pod Point which wants to briefly pause the charging of all the Electric Cars in the UK during peak demand times. “We’re planning to use our data to allow our customers to choose to charge their cars at lowest carbon impact time. We plan to do this by monitoring the carbon intensity of the national grid, and carefully choose when to charge our customers cars,” says CEO and Founder Erik Fairbairn.
Finally, the IoT has the potential to make renewable energy more effective and a much better investment, therefore more people might buy solar panels, storage batteries and other green devices. As Saunders suggests, the IoT will allow us to completely rethink how we use renewable energy. “Without digital technology, renewables rely upon a large amount of infrastructure to make them work either by larger grids or energy storage,” he says. “The IoT will dramatically change the way people interact with energy systems.” Content on this page is paid for and produced to a brief agreed with DNV GL, sponsor of the rethinking prosperity hub http://www.energycentral.com/functional/news/news_detail.cfm?did=37943277 |