Nothing stands in the way of construction of power microgrids
Support for innovation initiatives and innovative businesses is one of our key focus areas. That is why we have become a proud partner of the 5th Innovation Week that has been rescheduled from May 2020 to 29 September 2020. The trade show will feature the most interesting innovative businesses based in Central Bohemia. Ahead of the event, we would like to introduce one of them, Grideo, and its innovative solution for smart power microgrids.
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The room temperature automatically adjusts to the activity and preferences of the inhabitants. Consumers connected to so-called smart microgrids can get five, ten or more years ahead of time. These grids can learn the daily routine and preferences of the users in a relatively short time and automatically set everything correctly before you arrive home.
And they can do so without the need for an operator, without increased power bills, without an environmental burden. This is the result of tests of a prototype of an intelligent connection point that has been developed by Grideo in collaboration with the University Centre for Energy Efficient Buildings CTU in Prague. With support from Central Bohemian Innovation Centre, they came up with a product intended for builders that are planning to erect new residential houses and housing estates.
“Every residential building, whether terraced or detached, will be connected directly to the grid, without the need for costly transmission infrastructure. We will produce heat, cooling as well as electricity on the spot in an environmentally friendly manner. At the same time, there will be a back-up supply of the energy utilities. A local solution will enable us to achieve economies of scale. The operating costs for the customer will be the same or lower as compared with the traditional solution,” says Grideo founder Jiří Koptík.
Grideo, smart solution. Source: Grideo
Houses connected to the smart microgrid offer significantly greater energy comfort including a cooling option. Environmentally conscious owners can rest assured that highly efficient power and heat production from natural gas will meet the most stringent emission limits. In addition, the new solution also helps reduce transport-related emissions. It will be ready for installation of e-car chargers with a flexible connection to power generation. The system also includes smart appliance management.
“We have developed and tested an intelligent power infrastructure connection point capable of analyzing consumption of energy utilities and water in great detail. The system is fully functional and ready for deployment in a real setting. The system can detect abnormal operation and accidents and respond promptly to such situations by disconnecting the connection point and notifying the operator,” explains Ing. Pavel Mlejnek, Ph.D., a researcher at the University Centre for Energy Efficient Buildings CTU in Prague.
In new residential buildings, the intelligent connection point can be located at the verge between energy utility grids and the customer’s internal infrastructure. The intelligent connection point is equipped with connected calorimeters that measure heat and cold deliveries, power meters, and a water meter. It also includes sensors and remotely controlled security elements. This complex setup fits into a space not larger than a kitchen cabinet.
“We expect to sign a contract for the construction of our first intelligent microgrid in the Czech Republic within a few weeks. There is a huge potential on the market and modern power consumption management systems offer possibilities we could only dream about a few years ago. Our approach to energy utilities in households is bound to change the same way as the use of mobile phones has evolved in recent years,” adds Grideo co-founder Libor Žížala.
The collaboration between Grideo and the University Centre for Energy Efficient Buildings CTU has been mediated and financially supported by Central Bohemian Innovation Centre. This non-profit organization was established by Central Bohemian administration to foster partnership between the commercial and academic sphere.
“For this purpose, Central Bohemia introduced an innovation vouchers program offering one-time financial subsidies for joint projects with research or academic institutions. They enable businesses to focus fully on their core activities while research organizations deliver innovation-enabling services that the businesses cannot secure on their own for various reasons. Over the five years of our existence, the regional administration has supported more than 100 small and medium businesses in Central Bohemia,” says Jakub Hudec, Business Innovation Manager, Central Bohemian Innovation Centre.
Start-up companies in Central Bohemia can tap into the innovation vouchers program to give a boost to their business. The program is open and simple to join, offering an opportunity to quickly obtain up to half a million crowns to accelerate innovation initiatives. More details are available at www.s-ic.cz or at Central Bohemian innovators’ section at the Czech Innovation Week that is to start on 29 September 2020 at Fórum Karlín Palace in Prague, where you will also be able to meet Grideo.
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