Wärtsilä opts for in-house control over battery storage data analytics – Energy-Storage.News

Report on Wärtsilä’s Strategic Development of In-House Battery Storage Data Analytics

Introduction: A Strategic Shift Towards Sustainable Energy Management

Wärtsilä has announced the development of a proprietary software platform for battery data analytics, transitioning from reliance on third-party providers to an in-house solution. This strategic initiative is poised to significantly enhance the efficiency, reliability, and sustainability of energy storage systems, directly contributing to the achievement of several United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

Alignment with Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

SDG 7: Affordable and Clean Energy

This development is fundamentally aligned with SDG 7, which aims to ensure access to affordable, reliable, sustainable, and modern energy for all. By optimizing battery performance, Wärtsilä’s platform enhances the viability of renewable energy infrastructure.

• Enhanced Grid Stability: Advanced data analytics improve the management of battery energy storage systems (BESS), which is critical for stabilizing power grids that integrate intermittent renewable sources like solar and wind.
• Increased Renewable Energy Share: By making energy storage more efficient and predictable, the platform accelerates the transition to clean energy, supporting SDG Target 7.2.
• Improved Asset Performance: In-house control over analytics allows for proactive maintenance and optimized dispatch, extending asset life and reducing operational costs, thereby making clean energy more affordable.

SDG 9: Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure

Wärtsilä’s initiative exemplifies the principles of SDG 9 by fostering innovation and building resilient, sustainable infrastructure.

1. Technological Innovation: The creation of a proprietary analytics platform represents a significant technological advancement within the energy industry, promoting self-sufficiency and specialized expertise.
2. Resilient Infrastructure: The platform strengthens the resilience of energy infrastructure (SDG Target 9.1) by ensuring that battery storage assets operate at peak performance, safeguarding energy supply.
3. Sustainable Industrialization: This move supports the upgrading of industrial capabilities for sustainability (SDG Target 9.4), positioning data-driven management as a core component of modern energy systems.

SDG 13: Climate Action

The enhancement of battery storage technology is a critical tool in the global effort to combat climate change, directly supporting SDG 13.

• Decarbonization of the Power Sector: Efficient energy storage is essential for phasing out fossil fuel-based power generation. Wärtsilä’s platform enables a higher penetration of renewables, leading to a direct reduction in greenhouse gas emissions.
• Climate Change Mitigation: By improving the entire lifecycle management of battery assets, the technology contributes to a more sustainable and less resource-intensive energy system, mitigating the long-term impacts of climate change.

Conclusion and Future Implications

Wärtsilä’s decision to internalize its battery storage data analytics is a strategic move that enhances its competitive position and provides a powerful tool for advancing global sustainability objectives. This initiative underscores the critical role of digital innovation in the clean energy transition.

1. The platform will provide greater control and deeper insights into battery health and performance.
2. It directly supports the integration of renewable energy sources, contributing to SDG 7 and SDG 13.
3. The development strengthens sustainable infrastructure and promotes industry innovation, in line with SDG 9.

Analysis of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in the Article

1. Which SDGs are addressed or connected to the issues highlighted in the article?

• SDG 7: Affordable and Clean Energy

  The article discusses battery storage and data analytics, which are critical technologies for integrating renewable energy sources like solar and wind into the power grid. By improving the efficiency and reliability of energy storage, Wärtsilä’s technology directly supports the transition to cleaner energy systems, making sustainable energy more accessible and reliable.

• SDG 9: Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure

  The development of a new in-house battery data analytics software platform by Wärtsilä is a clear example of technological innovation. This innovation enhances energy infrastructure, making it more resilient, efficient, and capable of supporting a sustainable energy future. The article highlights a specific industrial advancement aimed at improving a critical infrastructure component.

• SDG 13: Climate Action

  Energy storage is a key enabler for decarbonizing the energy sector. By facilitating the large-scale deployment of renewable energy, battery systems help reduce dependence on fossil fuels, thereby mitigating greenhouse gas emissions. The technological advancement described in the article contributes to the broader effort of combating climate change and its impacts.

2. What specific targets under those SDGs can be identified based on the article’s content?

1. Under SDG 7 (Affordable and Clean Energy):
   • Target 7.2: “By 2030, increase substantially the share of renewable energy in the global energy mix.” The article’s focus on battery storage technology is directly relevant to this target, as storage solutions are essential for overcoming the intermittency of renewables and increasing their share in the energy supply.
   • Target 7.a: “By 2030, enhance international cooperation to facilitate access to clean energy research and technology… and promote investment in energy infrastructure and clean energy technology.” Wärtsilä’s development of a new analytics platform represents an advancement in clean energy technology that can be deployed globally to improve energy infrastructure.
2. Under SDG 9 (Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure):
   • Target 9.4: “By 2030, upgrade infrastructure and retrofit industries to make them sustainable, with increased resource-use efficiency and greater adoption of clean and environmentally sound technologies…” The software platform for battery storage is a clean technology designed to upgrade and optimize energy infrastructure for sustainability.
   • Target 9.5: “Enhance scientific research, upgrade the technological capabilities of industrial sectors… encouraging innovation…” The article’s subject, an in-house software platform for data analytics, is a direct result of corporate research and development aimed at upgrading technological capabilities in the energy sector.
3. Under SDG 13 (Climate Action):
   • Target 13.2: “Integrate climate change measures into national policies, strategies and planning.” The technology discussed is a tool that enables the implementation of climate strategies, such as national plans to increase renewable energy generation and reduce carbon emissions from the power sector.

3. Are there any indicators mentioned or implied in the article that can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets?

While the article does not explicitly state any SDG indicators, the subject matter implies several ways to measure progress:

• Implied Indicator for Target 7.2:
  • Indicator 7.2.1: Renewable energy share in the total final energy consumption. The effectiveness of the battery storage technology described could be measured by its contribution to increasing the percentage of renewables in the grid without compromising stability.
• Implied Indicators for Target 9.4:
  • Indicator 9.4.1: CO2 emission per unit of value added. The deployment of efficient energy storage systems, as discussed, would contribute to lowering the carbon intensity of the energy sector, which is a key measure of progress towards sustainable infrastructure.
• Implied Indicators for Target 9.5:
  • Indicator 9.5.1: Research and development expenditure as a proportion of GDP. The article’s focus on Wärtsilä developing its own platform implies corporate investment in R&D, which is a component of this broader indicator of innovation.

Summary Table of SDGs, Targets, and Indicators

Source: energy-storage.news