Our Innovation Analysts recently looked into emerging technologies and up-and-coming startups working on solutions for Smart Cities. As there is a large number of startups working on a wide variety of solutions, we decided to share our insights with you. This time, we are taking a look at 5 promising Smart Energy solutions.
Heat Map: 5 Top Smart Energy Startups
For our 5 top picks, we used a data-driven startup scouting approach to identify the most relevant solutions globally. The Global Startup Heat Map below highlights 5 interesting examples out of 396 relevant solutions. Depending on your specific needs, your top picks might look entirely different.
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Energy Pool – Distributed Energy Resource Management Systems (DERMS)
DERMS offer opportunities to monitor and manage distributed energy assets in order to adjust to the ever-changing conditions of the grid within the Smart City and suburb area. DERMS allow utilities to offer better customer services and solutions that benefit citizens. French startup Energy Pool’s DERMS solution converts big data generated by the grid into meaningful information for command and control, while real-time monitoring of DERs provides full visibility into grid operations. The real-time management of demand response creates benefits for smart city citizens by reducing needless energy consumption.
Wattie – Home Energy Monitoring Systems (HEMS)
Another way to reduce unnecessary electricity consumption within Smart Cities is to use Home Energy Monitoring Systems. The main goal of HEMS is to develop a system that is capable of keeping track of each and every appliance in the home. It provides the user with information about home appliances’ energy consumption parameters. Netherland-based startup Wattie creates a solution that delivers a home’s monitored energy consumption analytics directly to the user’s smartphone. A real-time monitoring device provides an overview of changes in energy consumption as appliances turn on or off. Daily and weekly detailed personalized reports help users to understand how energy is consumed and allows them to improve energy efficiency.
Grid Sentry – Wireless Smart Grid Sensors
Wireless Smart Grid Sensors are used to remotely monitor power equipment, including power lines. These sensors enable Smart City grid operators to identify problems before they become disruptive, to more easily find and diagnose issues with grid assets. Thus, Smart City citizens are benefiting from uninterrupted energy flow. The wireless sensors provided by the US-based company Grid Sentry allows to sense current flowing in the line in order to give electric utilities situational awareness of transmission and distribution circuits. The sensors are detecting power overloads and circuit imbalances, measuring voltage and providing insights into circuits that aren’t working correctly.
Suncil – Solar-Powered Street Lights
Street lightning equipped with solar panels allows utilizing renewable energy sources for Smart City needs. Street lighting can also power itself from a grid (e.g. in case of cloudy weather) and supply Smart City streets with WIFI and environmental monitoring. This is made possible by sensors that can monitor the air condition and are built-in light sources. Danish startup Suncil develops Triangular – a column designed in a triangular shape along with vertically integrated solar panels. A large area of the column is covered with solar panels that enable renewable energy generation for Smart City needs. Triangular is suitable for the lightning of streets, roads, and highways.
ENLIL – Highway Power Generation
New places to harvest renewable energy in a Smart City are highways, roads and city streets. Energy is generated by solar panels placed on the roads, by using mechanical vibrations of vehicles, and by wind turbines that use wind caused by traffic on the highway. This electricity can then be used immediately to power road infrastructures such as lights and signals. Also, it can be stored for further use or fed into the Smart City’s power grid. The Dutch company ENLİL creates a smart vertical axis wind turbine that transforms highways into renewable energy sources by using the dynamics of the city, thus providing an additional source for power generation within a Smart City. Placed on highways, ENLIL’s wind turbine generates energy by using the wind created by the flow of vehicles as well as the natural winds.
What About The Other 391 Solutions?
While we believe data is key to creating insights it can be easy to be overwhelmed by it. Our ambition is to create a comprehensive overview and provide actionable innovation intelligence for your Proof of Concept (PoC), partnership, or investment targets. The 5 startups showcased above are promising examples out of 396 we analyzed for this article. To identify the most relevant solutions based on your specific criteria and collaboration strategy, get in touch.
