Semiconductor Solutions for Smart Energy Infrastructure
Rising Demand and Expansion of Renewable Energy
Bridging the gap between decentralized renewable energy and a stable, smart grid. EBV Elektronik provides the semiconductor expertise to transform today’s distribution grids into the "Internet of Energy".
The All Electric Society thrives on electricity generated from renewable energy sources. As global electricity demand accelerates, the share of low-carbon energy continues to rise - expected to reach 65–80% worldwide by 2050. This rapid growth of renewable power generation requires a resilient, intelligent electric grid that balances energy consumption, storage, and supply.
Across Europe, 2024 marked a milestone: the cleanest power grid yet recorded. Thanks to sustainable technologies and expanded renewable energy integration, emissions have dropped by 59% since 1990. This demonstrates the power of smart energy infrastructure to decarbonize Europe's energy systems.
Navigating Modern Power Grid Challenges
Decentralized Generation
Grids not designed for hundreds of thousands of small PV/Wind sources.
Smart Grids: IoT-enabled coordination of generation, distribution, and storage.
Grid Instability
Fluctuating loads from renewables and surging electric consumption.
BESS & V2G: Battery storage and bidirectional charging to balance supply and demand.
Transmission Loss
Traditional AC systems lose significant energy over long distances.
HVDC Technology: 525kV DC systems to reduce losses and simplify renewable integration.
Key Focus Areas
Modern Challenges for the Power Grid
In the All Electric Society, electricity increasingly flows in multiple directions - from centralized plants, local solar arrays, and wind farms to millions of devices, factories, and electric vehicles.
Traditional power systems cannot handle decentralization or fluctuating peak demand caused by intermittent renewables. Upgrading to smart grid technology is necessary to optimize and dynamically control the growing renewable generation.
The Internet of Energy (IoE) & Smart Grids
Smart grid technology enables a flexible, digital energy network coordinating generation, storage, and distribution.
Leveraging connected sensors, smart meters, and real-time analytics, smart grids provide a reliable backbone for the energy transition. Key benefits include:
- Seamless integration of renewables to stabilize solar and wind volatility.
- Improved energy efficiency via optimized distribution.
- Enhanced power system resilience against outages.
- Automated response and real-time monitoring through IoT and AI.
- Consumer empowerment with live data supporting demand response programs.
AI-driven Internet of Energy (IoE) systems are transforming how electricity is generated, stored, and delivered. Embedded sensors and data networks across the power grid enable automation, predictive maintenance, and load balancing.
Artificial intelligence allows fast decision-making to prevent overloads, forecast renewable production, and detect inefficiencies before they disrupt the system.
IoE connects smart devices, renewables, and energy storage systems to form Virtual Power Plants (VPPs) — decentralized prosumer clusters trading excess energy. These digital utilities enhance market flexibility and strengthen power supply stability.
The Challenge: Transitioning from rigid, centralized distribution to a fluid, decentralized "prosumer" network.
EBV’s Tech-Focus: Edge Computing & AI: Turning raw data from IoT-sensors into real-time grid stability and grid balancing needs.
- Big Data Analytics: Utilizing Smart Meter and energy gateways data for precise load balancing and trend forecasting.
- Virtual Power Plants (VPP) and SW defined Factories: Enabling the monetization and coordination of decentralized assets with local energy production & consumption.
Explore IoT & Edge AI Solutions
Energy Storage Systems (BESS)
Energy storage systems maintain grid stability by storing surplus renewable electricity and releasing it when needed, ensuring reliable supply 24/7.
Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS) serve as short-term buffers. Hydrogen, thermal, and EV-based storage provide longer-term flexibility.
Energy storage isn’t just a buffer - it bridges sustainability and reliability. Semiconductors power controllers, systems-on-chip, and power management circuits, maximizing performance and minimizing losses.
As the share of renewable energy sources such as solar and wind continues to grow, energy storage solutions are becoming an essential part of smart grids. They play a central role in grid stability by balancing fluctuations in electricity generation and consumption. By storing excess renewable electricity and releasing it when demand rises, energy storage supports the integration of renewables into the energy system and ensures a reliable power supply.
Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS) provide short-term flexibility and can stabilize short-term fluctuations in the power grid. In a broader sense, energy storage also includes hydrogen electrolysis, heat pumps with thermal storage, and electric vehicles. These technologies increasingly operate or charge during times of high renewable power generation, helping to balance supply and demand.
The Challenge: Managing the volatility of renewables (wind/solar) to ensure 24/7 grid reliability.
EBV’s Tech-Focus:
- Advanced BMS: High-precision cell monitoring and balancing to extend battery life.
- Bidirectional Power: Enabling Vehicle-to-Grid (V2G) and Vehicle-to-Home (V2H) where EVs act as mobile buffers.
- Safety & Security: Implementing the Digital Battery Passport and secure communication protocols.
View BESS & Power Management Portfolio:
- Broadcom isolation and insolation solution for BESS and green hydrogen electrolysis
- Infineon BESS Solutions
Next-Gen Smart Metering
On the consumer side, smart meters are a core element of future energy networks. These intelligent meters track real-time energy usage, enabling monitoring and optimisation. According to a report by the European Commission, smart meters could reduce energy consumption by up to 10% annually – benefitting both consumers and the environment.
Emerging AI technologies actively balance energy generation and energy consumption in real time, cutting operational losses and improving forecasting accuracy. Simultaneously, advanced semiconductor sensors enable precise energy measurement, ensuring transparent CO₂ accounting and enabling fair participation in CO₂ credit and token markets. This allows industries to validate their carbon neutrality based on verified power data.
The Challenge: Empowering consumers with real-time transparency while protecting the grid.
EBV’s Tech-Focus:
- Metrology & Sensing: Ultra-precise measurement ICs for two-way energy transactions.
- Connectivity: Secure, long-range communication (NB-IoT, LoRaWAN, PLC) for remote diagnostics.
- Efficiency: Low-power components that allow meters to reduce system-wide energy consumption by up to 10%.
Discover Smart Metering Components
Efficient Transmission (HVDC)
Accordion New high-voltage direct current (HVDC) systems work alongside traditional AC grids to improve efficiency.
DC transmission reduces conversion losses, integrates more easily with solar power, and requires fewer components, making it ideal for electrified, energy-efficient grids.
The Challenge: Minimizing energy loss over long-distance transmission from remote renewable sites.
EBV’s Tech-Focus:
- High-Voltage Silicon Carbide (SiC): Enabling 525kV DC systems with significantly lower losses than AC.
- Solid-State Circuit Breakers (SSCB): Ultra-fast protection for DC networks where traditional mechanical breakers fail.
- STATCOM – Solid State Transformers: enhance HVDC grids by enabling fast, flexible voltage conversion and precise power flow control using power semiconductors.
Browse High-Voltage & SiC Solutions
Core Technology Enablers
Analog & Power: High-Efficiency Switching
As renewables expand, power generation becomes more variable. Energy storage is vital for balancing supply and demand. Storage solutions range from large-scale systems at campuses, industrial plants and stadiums to small batteries for households. Accurate battery monitoring improves efficiency and lifespan while reducing size and cost. Monitors and balancers provide real-time data on cell voltage, temperature and current across a wide range of battery management systems.
In the event of a fault within a battery, fast isolation of the faulty area prevents system-wide shutdown. Solid-state circuit breakers (SSCBs) offer key advantages: they interrupt extreme currents quickly, include protection and diagnostic functions, and enable silent, arc-free switching in milliseconds. This is particularly important for emerging DC grids in transport, industrial automation, climate systems and more. SSCB development is driven by SiC MOSFETs, which are smaller, 100x faster than silicon and operate at higher temperatures.
Explore Power Switches & SiC Solutions
Connectivity & Peripherals: The Internet of Energy
To communicate with other grid components, SSCBs are equipped with wired or wireless interfaces (e.g. CAN, Modbus, Ethernet). This enables remote control, monitoring and integration into larger smart grid or automation systems.
Robust, fast connectivity is also crucial for battery cell monitoring and balancing in electric vehicles and energy storage systems. Future systems will also require interfaces for the digital battery passport. From 2027, industrial and traction batteries above 2 kWh must include a passport documenting lifecycle emissions. QR codes, NFC and RFID will be used, with ISO/IEC 15459 enabling fast access to detailed product data.
Discover Connectivity & Battery Passport Solutions
Embedded Processing: Intelligence & Security
Safe operation is essential for all battery storage systems. This is ensured by advanced battery management systems (BMS) that use modern chipsets for diagnostics and analysis – preserving battery health and ensuring a long, trouble-free life.
Modern SSCBs require powerful control units to handle sophisticated functions. Integrated software and digital control enable programmable triggers and remote operation, including monitoring, diagnostics and resetting. These units use MCUs, embedded security and secure elements to protect devices against cyber threats and ensure secure data exchange.
Browse Smart Controllers & Security Solutions
The Benefits of the Smart Grid
1. Improving energy efficiency through optimised distribution
2. Integrating renewables like solar and wind seamlessly
3. Enhancing supply security with faster response to faults
4. Managing loads to prevent overloads and maintain stability
5. Empowering consumers via real-time energy data
Application Selection Matrix
EBV Elektronik's portfolio of solutions for tomorrow’s power grids
| Application | Technology Segments | ||
|---|---|---|---|
Analog & Power |
Connectivity & Peripherals |
Embedded Processing |
|
| Traction inverters | SiC/GaN Module | Sensors & Memory | AI-capable Controllers |
| Battery Storage (BESS) | Power Switches | Isolation & Comms | BMS Controllers |
| EV Charging (V2G) | Power Management | V2H/V2X Interfaces | EVSE Controllers |
| SSCB (Circuit Breakers) | SiC Discretes | Wired/Wireless Comms | Smart Security MCUs |
Your Partner for Smart, Flexible Power Networks
EBV Elektronik offers customised solutions for OEMs, suppliers and infrastructure providers across Europe.
Together, we’re shaping the future of energy infrastructure – sustainable, efficient and reliable.
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