Finnish start-up Exaum has launched a 1MW artificial intelligence-optimised grid balancing pilot.
The pilot has been installed at Karhulan Industrial Park located 130km east of Helsinki.
It aims to help enable the green energy transition by providing near-instantaneous grid balancing of power as more wind, solar, and other green but unpredictable sources are added to the transmission system operator’s supply choices.
“The shift to using more renewable sources of energy in Finland and around the world will also require a shift in the way we supply and balance power in the grid,” said founder and chief executive of Exaum Henri Yoki (pictured).
“Unlike with the use of fossil fuels, when we have a completely green energy supply, the generation needs to be built to always exceed the demand.
“Thus, when the wind doesn’t blow that much, there still is enough generation to match the demand.
“This naturally means that when there is a heavy wind and the generation is at its maximum, there needs to be matching additional consumption.
“Essentially, in the green energy transition consumption is great, but it needs to appear when the grid needs it.
“This needs to be managed and channelled so that the consumption meets the needs of the grid, both turning things on and off at the right time and especially turning things on.
“This understanding is what drove us to create Exaum and this solution.”
Fingrid is the Finnish Transmission System Operator, and is responsible for balancing the power system, electricity production and consumption in real time.
Balancing markets expert at Fingrid Tuomas Mattila said: “Wind and solar power production is increasing fast in Finland, increasing the need for flexibility in the power system.
“This is leading to the need to find additional flexible electricity production, consumption, and storage to ensure the balance of consumption and generation.
“We welcome new balancing service providers such as Exaum to balancing markets; new solutions and new thinking are needed to ensure cost-efficient markets for the future.”
One application for the excess power is industrial heating.
Next, Exaum aims to complete Nordic and Baltic pilots while scaling the solution further in Finland.
Exaum’s chief technical officer Panu Ahola added: “Proof that AI-driven power demand response works so well in this type of application opens the opportunity for use far beyond our current focus of industrial heating.”