Our society is in great need of more green energy, partly because of electrification and partly because we want to avoid importing fossil energy and energy from conflict zones. Future energy systems also require flexibility resources, such as energy storage and power-to-x, that is, the conversion of energy into hydrogen gas or ammonia. The technological solutions needed already exist and are being quickly developed and refined due to rapidly growing demand.

Through its investment in offshore energy, Ilmatar strives to secure access to an ample supply of renewable energy as a part of future energy systems. As an energy supplier, we are also planning balancing solutions to ensure that there is a backup system for when there is no wind as well as for harnessing surplus energy.

Smart Energy Åland provides information on future energy systems. This is what they write about flexibility resources:

Demand response

One model for increasing flexibility within energy systems is called demand response. The idea of demand response is that we adjust our electricity consumption on the household level based on a fluctuating electricity price. This enables us to reduce pressure on the supplier when demand is peaking. For example, one may opt to charge the family’s electric vehicle only when the price of electricity falls below a specific level. Another example might be to run the washing machine on a timer during the night. This option also increases consumer knowledge and awareness – and we may have seen the last of the times when electricity could be consumed at a fixed rate.

Power-to-X

Parallel to other solutions, technologies collectively called “power-to-x” that refine wind-produced energy into synthetic fuels, such as ammonia and hydrogen gas, are being developed in increasingly large scale and with support from the EU. Hydrogen gas is expected to become an important fuel for different kinds of vehicles and is also in demand within the steel and fertilizer industries. Hydrogen gas may also function as an energy storage and can be converted back into electric energy. Despite the energy lost during conversion, this is a viable way to balance solar and wind energy within a 100% renewable energy system.