The goal of the alliance is to streamline the use of solar panels and offer more value to consumers
The Energy Web Foundation (EWF) recently announced its newest member to join the renewable energy blockchain consortium. The strategic alliance is working to standardise protocols, solutions and certifications to allow interoperability between different brands of solar panels.
SunSpec Alliance is a group consisting of 100 different solar and storage companies across the globe. Partners include prominent names like Tesla, LG Electronics and Schneider Electric.
The other side of the collaboration is the Energy Web Foundation, a nonprofit that develops blockchain-driven customer-centric electricity systems. Its Energy Web Decentralised Operating System will, “enable any device, owned by any customer, to participate in any energy market,” according to the release.
New ways for solar to grow
By leveraging SunSpec and its group of producers, components and software, the technology can be streamlined under a standardised system to enable “plug and play” solutions without needing additional software or hardware.
The CCO of Energy Web, Jesse Morris, commented on the project:
“SunSpec’s focus on plug-and-play interoperability for solar PV and battery energy storage systems and Energy Web’s focus on building a public, open, digital ‘DNA’ for the future electricity system are a natural fit.”
The whole system strives to be user friendly and could potentially decrease costs related to installing or purchasing third party software or parts to achieve compatibility between different brands.
In many areas of the world PV power could make a big difference. The biggest challenge is creating new grid architectures that allow people to take full advantage of small and medium scale generation, which blockchain could help with tremendously.
EWF is not stopping
The EWF has been creating new connections all around the world. Some of the most recent projects promote the adoption use of decentralised, distributed technology in the electricity industry.
In Brazil, the EWF formed a partnership with energy intelligence company Fohat to create a renewable energy blockchain trading platform, issuing international renewable energy certificates (I-REC), proving the origin of the renewable energy that was received.
Last month, a pilot I-REC system was also launched in Turkey with the help of EWF and local energy firm Foton Energy – the same kind of projects are also being developed in Central America, where high energy prices could be helped by using more solar power.