A Round Trip Through The Power Grid

It all begins with energy generation. Let's take a photovoltaic power plant as an example, something we're all familiar with. The energy generated by the solar panels travels through the power system, first reaching a power converter that transforms direct current (DC) into alternating current (AC) (something music lovers might be familiar with from AC/DC): this is a necessary step for the electricity to be successfully integrated into the grid.

To ensure that the grid doesn't lose any valuable generated power, substations, these central hubs, prevent energy loss by increasing the voltage. Thanks to the operation of these centers, the energy arrives "safely and securely" at the substation, which, like a midfielder on a football field, distributes the energy into electricity directly supplied to users and energy stored in large battery tanks for later use. So, it's that simple, right? The energy has reached the battery, and the mystery is solved. However, the reality is far more complex, because great ideas require great solutions.

At this point, the energy in the substation must have its voltage reduced again, and the current converted back to direct current for storage. In other words, it must pass through our busy "friends" – the substations – once more. The technology and reliability of these substations are crucial for the integration of renewable energy into the grid. Afterward, the stored energy remains in the batteries, awaiting demand. Therefore, when electricity demand rises, this energy is sent back to the substation, which "fine-tunes" the energy again, increasing the voltage, and then sending it back to the substation. The substation converts the current back to alternating current and finally transmits it to the grid, reaching various points of consumption. This is truly a remarkable achievement.

It is this complex power system that allows the renewable energy generated by power plants during the day to power our household appliances at ten o'clock at night without emitting a single gram of carbon dioxide. Now you understand why this technology is so important? Given its immense benefits to consumers and the planet, the deployment of battery storage for home is expected to grow at a rate of three times per year. In this way, in just twenty years, the global solar storage installed capacity will jump from the current approximately 10 gigawatts (which is undoubtedly a symbolic figure) to over 1100 gigawatts, making the energy transition and a more sustainable world possible.