The City of Lights sees a bright future

A couple of days ago, Paris, the city renowned for its exquisite gourmet dining, was host to Enlit Europe. As this was the perfect venue to get a taste of the current state of the energy industry, we, of course, have also been on-site and, at this year's edition, we noticed a distinct, captivating flavor.

The fusion of innovative energy solutions and business opportunities was just such a delightful experience for us and we want to thank everybody who met us there. Our booth was very busy on all three days and the face-to-face interactions there were as enriching as ever. These conversations, ranging from strictly business to more casual exchanges, are what make Enlit Europe special and we had the chance to answer the visitors' most burning questions. And of course, our now-traditional Hungarian Wine Party was the highlight, offering a relaxed setting for unwinding and networking after a day full of engagements.

Reflecting on last year’s discussions, it's clear that the energy crisis of 2022, once seen as an overwhelming challenge, has been a catalyst for positive change. Although the term 'global energy crisis' might not dominate headlines as it once did, the energy sector continues to navigate significant complexities. Within these challenges lie immense opportunities, a perspective widely shared across the industry.

The most notable impact of the energy crisis has been the acceleration in adopting battery technology, underscoring how necessity drives innovation. This rapid advancement is a silver lining, demonstrating our capacity to adapt and evolve. Yet, the journey towards fully integrating renewable energy sources into our systems remains arduous. We face ongoing hurdles in incorporating renewables and resolving issues in low and mid-voltage grids. These challenges are primarily due to the increasing decentralization of energy production, such as rooftop solar installations and small-scale battery storage, as well as the decarbonization efforts in transportation (electric vehicles) and the heating sector (heat pumps).

So, while the energy crisis has indeed 'helped' by fast-tracking certain technological adaptations, there's still a considerable path to tread in achieving a seamlessly integrated, sustainable energy ecosystem.

These were the three spiciest trends of most of our discussions at Enlit:

• Increasing Demand for Decentralization: This year, there was a heightened interest in decentralized energy resources. We witnessed a surge in discussions around integrating decentralized assets into the grid, reflecting a shift towards a more distributed energy model.
   
• The Digitalization Drive: Digital transformation remains a top priority, as queries and discussions at our booth revealed a growing need for solutions that enhance grid efficiency through digital technologies. Even Distribution System Operators (DSOs), traditionally more conservative, seem to increasingly recognize the necessity to adapt to the digital transformation. This change is driven by the sheer volume of new data they are encountering, which requires sophisticated management and analysis to make intelligent predictions and decisions about the grid's operation.
   
• Electrification and Clean Energy: The shift towards electrification and clean energy was another dominant theme. Participants showed a keen interest in how our solutions can help them facilitate this transition, underscoring the sector's commitment to sustainability.

The event was also filled with discussions on cutting-edge topics like Virtual Power Plants (VPPs), which demonstrate the growing emphasis on more efficient and flexible energy management systems.

At our booth, visitors had the chance to learn about how to supercharge Virtual Power Plants (VPPs) using advanced digital microservices, which are specifically designed to boost efficiency and scalability of VPPs. With optimized performance, this is how VPPs can participate in the MARI and PICASSO balancing platforms. This technological advancement signifies a major leap in how we manage and integrate decentralized energy resources, making them more effective and responsive to market needs.

Designed to integrate VPPs’ assets, we again presented our platform, the Energy Market of Things (EMoT). The interest it garnered underlined the industry’s demand for solutions that effectively connect even smaller assets to power markets. EMoT is at the forefront of this data revolution as it is designed to make decentralized energy resources (DERs) more visible to network operators, integrating them through VPPs into both wholesale energy markets and flexibility markets, as well as balancing platforms. This approach not only showcases the potential of DERs but also allows grid operators to see them as solutions rather than problems, unlocking their full potential.

To all we met at Enlit Europe, it was a pleasure, and for those we missed, we hope your experience was as enjoyable as ours. While the wine may have run out, we raise our proverbial glasses to a successful closing of 2023 and eagerly await the next gathering in 2024, where we can once again unite to drive forward the energy sector's evolution.