Recap of the NEFI Technology Talk 'DC Industry'

Innovative direct current (DC) solutions can significantly contribute to the decarbonisation and flexibility of the industry. They simplify the system integration and coupling of renewable energies through the resource- and energy-efficient integration of electric machines, photovoltaic systems, battery storage, and electric mobility.

The NEFI Technology Talk 'DC Industry' on January 23, 2024, introduced over 80 participants from manufacturing companies, energy technology providers, and research to innovative DC solutions in the industry, fostering a lively exchange of experiences about current and future solutions. The event provided an ideal platform for networking and expanding the NEFI community.

The online event was organized by the OÖ Energiesparverband and took place within the framework of the NEFI research project Austrian DC Pilot Factory, which aims to demonstrate a secure, flexible, and scalable DC network in an industrial environment. After an introduction by Christiane Egger (OÖ Energiesparverband), the event was moderated and facilitated by Christine Öhlinger (OÖ Energiesparverband) together with the project manager Gerhard Jambrich (AIT).

Gerhard Jambrich presented DC research projects at the beginning, and Timm Kuhlmann (Fraunhofer IPA) provided an initial technical insight into industrial DC networks. This was followed by the presentation of the DC initiative of the Austrian Electrotechnical Association (OVE) by Friedrich Kupzog (OVE) and an overall view of the use of DC networks to support the energy transition in all areas by Harry Stokman (DC Systems by Schneider Electric, NL). Insights from the German research projects DC Industry, presented by Hartwig Stammberger (Eaton, Germany), provided a more detailed look into the challenges of the practical implementation of DC networks. The realized example of the NExT Factory by Christoph Neulinger (Schaltbau, Germany) concluded the event.

For more information, you can watch the recorded video of the Technology Talk on our YouTube channel: https://youtu.be/lTboW05tEBc.