Energy software solutions. Renewable energy sources. Energy management system

Energy is movement. In all possible meanings. Therefore, sources of energy are needed in order to move and develop. Only some decades ago, the main objective was the search for those sources, maximum saving and high efficiency. Fortunately, people have lately begun thinking about environmental friendliness. Renewable energy - what is it and what are its advantages

Renewable energy is created from renewable resources that are able to replenish in a natural way. These include sunlight, wind, water movement and geothermal heat.

What are the advantages and limitations of renewable energy sources?

Advantages:

Eco-friendliness: these sources do not produce harmful emissions that make them ecologically pure. Solar, wind and hydropower plants decrease the risk of global warming and climate change.

Renewable: as a name itself indicates. Unlike traditional sources, they are capable of replenishment naturally, which makes them a more sustainable and long-term solution for energy needs.

Lower operating costs: it reduces the overall energy cost and provides a significant advantage to renewable sources in comparison with traditional ones.

Security: Energy output in this way is more secure for people, especially compared to nuclear power plants. There are significantly less risks to life in the event of some breakdowns or mistakes.

The creation of workplaces: this is a new promising field that is rapidly developing and, therefore, has a potential for the workplaces creation and stimulation of economic growth.

The development of technologies: as this field is in constant search for alternative energy output methods, it provides an unlimited space for the creation and testing of technological startups.

Renewable energy sources limitations:

Disruption: These sources mostly depend on weather conditions, so are not completely foreseeable and may operate with disruption.

Problems with the storage: Energy storage technology for renewable energy sources is still relatively expensive and is not sufficiently developed which limits their ability to provide constant energy.

High initial expenses: Quite frequently, initial expenses are more expensive in comparison with traditional energy sources that makes it difficult for some countries or regions to switch to renewable energy. The problem lies in the transition itself, that is stopping the operation of old sources and creating new that undoubtedly is really costly.

Geographical limitations: Renewable energy sources, such as solar and wind energy, depend on specific geographical and climate conditions that limits their availability in some regions.

What is the purpose of an energy management system?

Energy management system (EMS) — automation systems that enable energy resources management. They collect data on local energy measurements and provide it to users with the help of graphics, online monitoring tools and power quality analyser.

Energy management is a process that involves optimising energy usage in order to obtain the best possible results and taking measures to conserve it. This also includes planning related to energy production and storage for future use. Accordingly, the benefits of energy management are not only cost savings, but also achieving complete stability.

The usage of an energy management system (EMS), may save up to 29% of energy costs.

What are three advantages of an energy manager?

Savings: Energy managers can implement energy conservation measures by determining the area, where it is mostly used. Having analysed schemes of energy consumption by the object, energy managers may recommend changes to decrease energy consumption without affecting service quality or productivity of the organisation.

Eco-friendliness: Energy managers can help organisations to become more eco-friendly. They can reduce the amount of consumed energy by implementing energy saving measures, which in turn reduces harmful emissions. Not only is it useful for the environment, but it may also improve the reputation of the organisation.

Planning and compliance: Energy managers can plan the rate of energy use for a certain period as well as ensure that the organization complies with regulations on energy consumption. For instance, they can ensure that the organisation meets energy efficiency standards set by government or industry regulations.

Renewable energy software development 

The development of renewable energy software is a fast-growing field that plays a crucial role in assisting organisations in developing and managing renewable energy projects more efficiently. This field covers a wide range of software applications, tools and platforms used to support the technologies of renewable energy such as wind, solar, hydro and geothermal.

One of the main renewable energy software development purposes is optimisation of the renewable energy projects performance. This involves developing software that is capable of monitoring and controlling various aspects of renewable energy systems, such as power output, weather conditions and energy storage. The organisations have the opportunity to maximise the efficiency and profitability of their renewable energy projects, minimising downtime and other operational issues.

Another significant renewable energy software development area is the development of modelling and simulation tools. These tools enable organisations to assess the performance of renewable energy projects under a variety of conditions such as changing weather conditions or energy demand. The organisations can better understand potential advantages and drawbacks of renewable energy projects and make more informed decisions about how to deploy them by modelling these situations.

New Energy Trends In 2023

AI in the energy sector

Artificial Intelligence is becoming increasing ly significant in the energy industry and has great potential for future energy system design. Typical scope of AI application are electricity trading, smart grids or integration of electricity, heat and transport sectors. The prerequisites for greater use of AI power in the energy system are the digitalization of the energy sector and, accordingly, a large set of data that can be evaluated. AI power helps to make the energy industry more efficient and safer by analysing and evaluating volumes of data

Green hydrogen energy

Hydrogen is the most abundant chemical element on the planet; it is in 75% of the substances. However, we never find it separately, but it is combined with other chemical elements such as water, which forms oxygen, or organic compounds, which form carbon. While talking about green hydrogen, we mean hydrogen produced without pollutant emissions, that is sustainable hydrogen. This is fuel that is already presented as a core energy vector to achieve global decarbonization and comply with the commitments made for 2050 in the fight against climate change.

IoT in the energy field

Internet of Things (IoT) can be applied in the energy sector for energy supply, transmission, distribution and demand. Based on the gained experience while developing digital solutions for our customers in the energy sector, we assert that among the main benefits for the energy sector from IoT are better energy efficiency, reduced environmental impact of energy use, higher percentage of renewable energy and much more.

Advanced mechanical engineering in renewables

Many of the key skills learned and developed by mechanical engineers during mechanical engineering master's programs have a wide range of applications in renewable energy engineering. Knowledge of thermodynamics, fluid mechanics, and heat transfer, for example, is necessary for solving the wind power problem described above, but the same expertise is also crucial for designing hydropower infrastructure, optimising cooling systems, and developing new energy storage technologies, such as thermochemical batteries and solar fuels for long-term energy storage. Similarly, knowledge of mechanical and industrial systems as well as the materials from which industrial equipment is made are essential skills for a number of renewable energy engineering careers.

Bioenergy

The usage of bioenergy is divided into two main categories: "traditional" and "modern". Traditional uses refer to the burning of biomass in such forms as wood, livestock waste and traditional charcoal. Modern bioenergy technologies include liquid biofuels produced from bagasse and other plants; bio-oil refineries; biogas obtained by anaerobic fermentation of residues; wood pellet heating systems; and other technologies.
Approximately three-quarters of the world's renewable energy usage is related to bioenergy, with more than half of that coming from traditional biomass use. In 2015, bioenergy accounted for about 10% of total final energy consumption and 1.9% of global electricity production.