Leading Polish Climate Tech business, Electrum, in collaboration with its partners, has introduced an innovative hybrid energy-information system, significantly enhancing the efficiency of electric energy storage and balancing the operation of RES. The solution stabilizes and optimizes energy supply for the Alu-forst production plant located near Białystok, which uses its own photovoltaic installation. The system is a part of the European initiative MESH4U, carried out in cooperation with the Fraunhofer Institute, Wrocław University of Science and Technology, and international partners. In the future, research and analyses conducted during the MESH4U project will contribute to securing stable electricity supply for other European factories.
Key objectives of the MESH4U project included energy savings, efficient utilization of RES potential, and the development of green factories for a sustainable and environmentally friendly future. Initiated by Electrum Concreo, a company within the Electrum Group, the project involved the development of a modern energy-information system. Implementation of this solution reduced energy consumption costs and ensured the continuous operation of production lines.
The main benefit of the hybrid energy-information system is the ability to reduce operating costs by optimizing energy consumption and efficiently utilizing renewable energy sources. Using advanced algorithms and data analysis, the solution can predict energy demand, adjust production based on RES availability, and manage consumption intelligently. We believe that our hybrid energy-information system can support the transition to a low-emission economy. By promoting efficient use of RES, the solution will contribute to the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions and minimize environmental impact on an international scale – says Karol Łapiński, Technical Director and Member of the Electrum Solutions Board.
Manufacturing companies are high-energy consumers, and brief voltage drops can result in significant losses due to material damage caused by sudden machine stoppages and costly downtimes. Therefore, Electrum Concreo, a company within the Electrum Group, collaborated with Alu-frost to address this issue. As a result, an international research project was conducted, involving experts from Wrocław University of Science and Technology, the Fraunhofer Institute in Magdeburg, and foreign partners, including the University of Rome Tor Vergata (Italy), the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Lausanne – EPFL (Switzerland), Arte Möbel (Germany), GridSteer (Switzerland), Romande Energie (Switzerland), and GoFast (Switzerland).
Our project is unique because it combines various types of storage, technological solutions, and information systems. The result is the maximum benefits of RES for various needs and conditions, both technically and economically. We have managed to create a unique, holistic approach to multifunctional energy storage centers. In the future, our solution will provide flexibility to renewable energy owners and operators, as well as industry and households – says Przemysław Komarnicki, a Professor at the Fraunhofer Institute and one of the main partners of the MESH4U project. It can also have significant applications in e-mobility – he adds.
MESH4U largely addresses key questions that renewable energy technology developers have been asking for years. Efficient energy storage is one of the essential components that will contribute to the popularization of green energy sources in the near future.
An important feature of the MESH4U project is its international, European dimension, and alignment with European energy strategies and the ERA-NET-SES program framework, which encompasses sustainable development, technological intelligence, and competitiveness in the field of goods and services. The project was co-financed by the National Center for Research and Development as part of the ERA-NET Smart Grids Plus Joint Call 2019 on Energy Storage Solutions (MICall2019). The total value of the project was PLN 4,193,452.14, with a grant value of PLN 2,321,856.32.
For more information about the MESH4U project, please visit https://concreo.electrum.pl/mesh4u/ and https://mesh4u.energy/.
