Heaptalk, Jakarta — Global power management company Eaton announced the launch of a suite of electric vehicle charging infrastructure (EVCI) and its xStorage range of battery energy storage systems (BESS) to support Asia Pacific’s (APAC)’s green energy transition.
Triggered by maturing sustainable development policies and government incentives, EV ownership has become more prevalent in recent years. Policymakers worldwide are recognizing the importance of having reliable and accessible EV charging infrastructure in place to support growing EV adoption.
Within APAC, countries have stepped up their carbon emission commitments by pushing forward with sustainable transportation and mobility policies. The Indonesian government has issued some regulations to support the acceleration of the electric vehicle program.
The regulations include Presidential Decree Number 55 of 2019 on the Acceleration of the Battery Electric Vehicles Program for Road Transportation and Regulation of Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources Number 13 of 2020 on the Provision of Charging Infrastructure for Battery Electric Vehicles. The goal is to improve national energy security by reducing fuel imports.
According to some industry observers, Indonesia’s EV charging equipment market is expected to grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 44%. An Independent organization namely International Renewable Energy Agency (Irena) has also predicted that Indonesia will be able to reach up to 31% of renewable energy usage by the year 2040. Given the trends, there is significant potential for Eaton’s EV charging infrastructure and BESS.
Further, EVCI power management can help building owners and developers prepare for emerging regulations and future demand. The latest suite of EVCI also can support building managers and EV fleet operators seamlessly and flexibly operating EV infrastructures as the result of existing technology and insights garnered from Eaton’s experience in Europe and America, and tailored to meet the unique needs and opportunities within APAC.
The EVCI power management includes alternating current (AC), direct current (DC), and prefabricated EV charging stations. Eaton also develops cloud-based EV charging software to help to charge operators optimize costs, manage their earnings, and have full control of the entire charging network.
A critical component of a renewable energy generation system is the battery energy storage system. BESS can store and release energy on demand, helping to manage the intricacies of a more complex power network, including bidirectional power flows and variable renewable energy. The system can play a critical role in ensuring a smooth and inclusive transition to renewables.
With the electrification of the economy and the emergence of new opportunities for businesses and consumers to generate their energy and export it back to the grid, energy will flow through the grid in more directions and with more devices than ever before.
According to Vice President Eaton for East Asia Jimmy Yan, one of the challenges when incorporating renewable energy into the grid is balancing its variability against always-on demand. Jimmy said, “Flexible, intelligent power systems will be key to making a more sustainable future a reality. Beyond ensuring power reliability and managing costs, this type of infrastructure can help businesses navigate the transitional challenges of adopting greener alternatives, be it meeting evolving regulations or preparing for future shifts in demand.
Eaton collaborates with the data center to develop cooling technology
As part of its broader energy transition mission, Eaton has also entered into a new partnership under Singapore’s Sustainable Tropical Data Centre Testbed (STDCT), to drive the development of innovative and sustainable innovation for data centers in the tropics.
Unveiled in June 2021, STDCT is the world’s first data center testbed in the tropics. Through this project, researchers from the National University of Singapore (NUS) and Nanyang Technological University Singapore aim to develop innovative and sustainable cooling technology for data centers operating in environments with high temperatures and humidity.
As part of the collaboration, Eaton will be providing data centers power management including UPS, lithium-ion batteries, and busway systems amounting to approximately S$300,000 to the STDCT. The technology, which is designed to perform in tropical environments without additional cooling interventions, will be used to support the provision of backup power for STDCT’s experiment labs.
“Our latest energy transition solutions cater to the issues businesses face in the necessary shift towards a low-carbon future. With these solutions, and through continued collaboration with the broader industry, we hope to empower more organizations in APAC to participate in the energy transition through them,” Jimmy added.
Although currently, the company does not have any ongoing collaboration in Indonesia, Eaton is open to collaborating either with local partners or government institutions. With the launch of xStorage, Eaton hopes to support Indonesian businesses and organizations in their adoption and transition to renewable energy sources. The technology development is aimed at meeting the needs of industry segments with high power consumption, spanning manufacturing plants, and integrated EV charging stations.