Saule Technologies and Columbus Energy have partnered with Google Cloud, signing a strategic cooperation agreement to develop new products using perovskite solar cells and solutions in the field of distributed energy and IoT (Internet of Things). Google Cloud will also become a strategic partner of both companies, providing cloud computing services and technologies.
The concept behind IoT is to connect a variety of often small and highly-specialized electronic devices in a network so that they can generate and send information to each other. However, such devices require power and this has greatly limited their potential applications to date. The perovskite solar cells developed by Saule Technologies are not only lightweight, thin and flexible, but they are also able to perform well even in artificial light. These unique advantages make Saule Technologies cells "the perfect energy source for all kinds of IoT devices in virtually all conditions, regardless of power grid availability", according to the Company's statement.
“The difficulty of providing IoT solutions with an independent power source was the main obstacle for the expansion of IoT devices, but our perovskite cells are here to solve the problem,” said Artur Kupczunas, Co-Founder & CEO Saule Technologies. “Now a lot of brilliant ideas supported by the innovative technologies of our partners will finally get a chance of deployment".
The first product using this technology is already in manufacturing. These are Perovskite Electronic Shelf Labels (PESL), powered by a perovskite cell, allowing multiple price updates during the day, controlled via wireless and using the analytic and computing potential of Google Cloud. One of the advantages of this technology is that it allows the effective use of sales tools while minimizing the problem of wasting food when expiry dates are exceeded.
The number of potential applications of this independent energy source is potentially limitless. In the future, perovskite cells could be used, among other things, to power sensors monitoring forests and other fire-prone areas or to extend the range of drones supplying medicines or food to remote areas.
Columbus Energy, Saule Technologies and Google Cloud will also cooperate in developing distributed energy solutions.
“Columbus Energy is building its proprietary smart energy flow supervision and optimization system - PowerHouse. Our Home Energy Management System (HEMS) will be a tool allowing the smart management of all devices and the energy generated at home,” said Dawid Zieliński, Founder & CEO Columbus Energy S.A.
“We are very happy to cooperate with Saule Technologies and Columbus Energy – Polish innovation leaders in new energy sources – and support them in developing products that may revolutionize a number of areas of our economy and our lives, including with the use of the tools available in the cloud. Green energy transition using digital technologies is also one of our key priorities as a company. Not only did we pledge to completely switch to zero-carbon energy by 2030, but we also want to partner with others to create solutions that will help them achieve these targets,” said Magdalena Dziewguć, Country Director Google Cloud in Poland.
The parties believe that this partnership will accelerate energy transition and digital transformation to benefit all, but primarily the most digitally-excluded communities or those with difficulties in accessing green energy sources.