Today, many end devices are already supplied with direct current (DC). EV charging stations and electric drives in industry also work with direct current.
Renewable energy sources such as wind and solar also generate direct current. In a traditional AC grid (alternating current), this results in many unnecessary AC-DC conversions, which cost energy.
In a DC grid, direct current is fed in, stored, and used directly by loads such as machines, motors, and conveyor belts without being converted to AC. This minimizes conversion losses. In addition, braking energy, for example, can be retained within the grid and peak loads can be reduced. This significantly increases energy efficiency and reduces the feed-in power by up to 80%.
As one of 39 partners from industry and research, we were also part of ZVEI’s DC-INDUSTRIE 2 research project, which was funded by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action. Naturally, Phoenix Contact is also involved in the resulting ODCA (Open Direct Current Alliance), as a founding member and board member.
The All Electric Society Factory in Blomberg, Germany, has its own industrial DC grid and fully exploits the potential of renewable energy forms. The building serves as a blueprint for a sustainable, efficient power supply in industry.
A 650 V DC grid connects photovoltaics, battery storage systems, and loads together directly, reduces conversion losses, and enables efficient energy management with high grid stability.
DC grids increase energy efficiency in production, because conversion losses are eliminated and renewable energies can be integrated directly. Practical examples, such as those from the automotive industry, illustrate the potential. Modular components ensure safe and flexible operation. In addition, recuperation and the reduced use of materials enable further efficiency gains – an important step towards a sustainable industry.
Data centers are huge energy consumers and are under enormous pressure in terms of increasing energy requirements, high carbon emissions, and rising costs. With DC grids, Phoenix Contact provides an innovative solution to increase efficiency, sustainability, and the security of supply. Fewer conversion losses, better integration of renewable energies, and reduced carbon emissions are just some of the advantages. Discover how our DC components are paving the way toward green data centers.
DC grids form the basis for an efficient charging infrastructure, because they reduce conversion losses and enable bidirectional charging. This means that vehicle batteries can be integrated into the energy management system as energy storage devices. Industrial DC grids establish an end-to-end connection between energy generators, storage systems, and charging infrastructure, thus increasing efficiency and security of supply.
This creates a scalable and future-proof charging infrastructure for industry and commerce.
DC-coupled battery storage systems increase the efficiency of DC grids because they operate with significantly lower conversion losses. They stabilize the grid, enable the flexible use of renewable energies, and reduce energy costs.
The example of the All Electric Society Factory shows a scalable, sustainable solution with reused batteries and intelligent energy management.
Learn more about the ideal solutions for the various installation areas.
The industrial sector is looking for suitable solutions to achieve climate targets. Rising energy costs, a shortage of resources, and an increasing demand for energy are posing new challenges for industry. One approach to facing these challenges is to switch from an AC power grid to a DC grid. Renewable power generation, energy storage, and energy recovery are keywords that can be implemented in a DC microgrid. This reduces energy consumption and cuts peak loads (peak shaving). The effect relieves and stabilizes the supply network. Designing DC grids for industry is one approach toward sustainable industrial production.
In a DC-based microgrid, electric power is generated through the efficient integration of renewable energy from carbon-neutral production. This energy is used by electrical loads in a DC grid directly, without further conversion from DC to AC. This saves conversion losses and reduces energy consumption. In addition, the entire braking energy from lifting processes, which would otherwise be lost in the form of heat, can also be used. Instead, the braking energy is fed back into the DC grid as electrical energy. Energy storage systems collect excess DC power for later use.
As a result, a combination of sustainable power generation, energy recovery, and energy storage ensures greater sustainability and increased energy efficiency in factories.
In addition to savings in energy consumption, using a DC grid also results in potential material and space savings.
Energy losses can be reduced by approximately 6% to 8% through the elimination of DC-AC conversions. In addition, the use of suitable energy storage leads to a reduction of feed-in power from the public grid by up to 80%. The complete use of braking energy also enables 15 to 20% more energy savings, depending on the application. Due to these factors, the energy efficiency in DC grids increases significantly compared to AC grids.
The potential in terms of material and space savings is also considerable. In DC grids, up to 40% of the copper and insulation material used can be saved while maintaining the same performance. In times of scarce resources, this is significant. DC devices are also significantly smaller than AC devices. The reduced material expenditure saves further space.
The conversion of direct current to alternating current or direct voltage to alternating voltage involves losses, since energy is also required for conversion. This increases energy consumption, and energy efficiency suffers as a result. In addition, DC-AC inverters are necessary. They require corresponding space in the application – space that is saved by not converting.
Supplying direct current straight to loads replaces the previous DC-AC-DC conversions. This increases energy efficiency, as a purely DC grid typically consumes 6 to 8% less energy than an AC grid. Further savings are possible through the use of braking energy and immediate storage of direct current.
In DC applications, electric arcs can damage contacts and housing parts and, in the worst case, also pose a hazard to users. Under these circumstances, a new approach to the development of components is required. Various technologies for DC connectors have been developed by Phoenix Contact in research projects. With extinguishing technology in connectors, an innovative approach has now been developed that protects components and their users from the dangers of electric arcs.
