Smart systems are necessary for sustainable and decentralized electricity supplies. EM- Power Europe focused on innovations relating to smart grids and the importance of prosumers. When gauging the exhibition’s success, the proof is in the numbers – EM-Power Europe 2023, which took place as part of The smarter E Europe, welcomed 40 percent more exhibitors than in the previous year. A total of 2,469 exhibitors from across the globe converged on Munich, drawing more than 106,000 international visitors from 166 countries to the Bavarian capital. The date for next year’s event has already been set – the next EM-Power Europe and its parallel exhibitions, Intersolar Europe, Power2Drive Europe and ees Europe, will take place from June 19–21, 2024, at Messe München.
In Germany, and Europe as a whole, the transformation of the energy industry under the banner of a renewable, decentralized and digital energy world is progressing in leaps and bounds. Concurrent with this accelerated expansion, the energy system needs to be more flexible in order to be able to cushion solar and wind energy peaks in the short term. Flexibility will become the key currency in the energy system of tomorrow as electromobility and the use of heat pumps will quickly boost the potential of households in the coming years. According to the plans of the German government, six million heat pumps are to be installed by 2030. In combination with a smart digitalization strategy, this is a great opportunity for the energy system. By utilizing heat pumps, residential storage systems and electric vehicles intelligently, consumers are increasingly becoming prosumers, actively helping to offset imbalances between weather-dependent power generation from wind and solar and consumption, thereby stabilizing the decentralized renewable energy grid.
Major achievements and challenges for the energy industry
Striking a balance between volatile power generation and rising electricity demand is a growing challenge for the markets. The energy grids must be expanded and made more transparent to guarantee their stability. In addition, it is essential to monitor and control energy flows. Smart energy management, the digitalization of the energy industry and the increasing integration of prosumers into the grid are, therefore, crucial.
At the EM-Power Europe Conference, experts discussed how these factors can be integrated and activated. Grid stability was a central topic in all sessions and was particularly highlighted during the conference opening. With impressive figures, Seb Henbest, Group Head of Climate Change at the HSBC commercial bank, conveyed not just how quickly the energy transition is progressing worldwide, but also how much more still needs to be done. Among other things, he referenced the great importance consumers play in the transformation. For example, he indicated that a record number of around three million heat pumps had been sold in Europe last year – a new record. Henbest further stated that heat pumps can be considered the forgotten champions of decarbonization. Bruce Douglas, Director of Business & Communications at Eurelectric, emphasized the necessity of substantial investment in both the physical and digital networks. Around 400 billion euros would need to be invested in the Europe-wide distribution grid by 2030. The second day of the conference focused on flexibility and generated a great deal of interest among the audience. The question of how consumers can be involved and become motivated to take an active role in the energy system came up repeatedly. The conference attendees agreed that suitable legal conditions, financial incentives and technological solutions that are convenient for consumers are necessary if this is to be achieved.
AWARD winners and start-ups present their sustainable solutions
The significance of grid stability and flexibility and the role of battery storage and energy management systems were also highlighted by the winners of the EM-Power AWARD, which made its debut this year. FENECON’s FERESTO Rental Storage enables the rapid integration of large battery systems that can reduce peak demand, improve stability and cut costs. The Mobility House and its ChargePilot also impressed the panel of judges with a versatile and integrable energy management system for optimized electric vehicle charging in parking lots and commercial buildings. Through the preferential use of renewable electricity, the capping of peak loads and vehicle-to-grid functionality, the system relieves and stabilizes the local energy grid. In addition, the start-up area showcased innovative solutions for a future sustainable energy supply. With their new and creative ideas, start-ups such as EnergyFamily and Entrix are making an important contribution to decentralizing and digitalizing our energy system.
More AWARD winners of the The smarter E Europe: These are the winners of the Awards for 2023
The new energy world and the required digitalization of supply systems are an international challenge – this is because our networks do not simply stop at the border to the next country. This means that internationalization and collaboration within the industry are essential. This was particularly evident given the high proportion of international exhibitors and attendees from all over the world, and was also confirmed by the companies that took part in the exhibition. “EM-Power offers exactly what the complex energy world needs – cooperation and dialog between all relevant sectors. EM-Power Europe and its accompanying exhibitions bring the current issues affecting the industry together, making them tangible and consolidating them on site,” explains Pia Rungenhagen, a speaker for Avacon Netz GmbH.
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“The industry is currently undergoing enormous change,” says Barbara Pilz, project manager at EM-Power Europe. “The key players are increasingly recognizing the relevance of digitalization and flexibilization from power grid to smart grid and the unavoidable integration of prosumers into a holistic, renewable energy system. This rapid development was clearly noticeable in the past few days and shows that our exhibition is striking the right chords today. We can’t wait for EM-Power Europe 2024.”
As part of Europe’s largest platform for the energy industry, The smarter E Europe, the next EM-Power Europe event, as well as the accompanying Intersolar Europe, ees Europe and Power2Drive Europe exhibitions, will be taking place at the Messe München from June 19–21, 2024. (hcn)
