Emulate Energy: Powering a Sustainable Future with Virtual Batteries

Electricity is managed through a huge, complex and invisible network, the power grid. The grid needs to be balanced, so that we do not get power blackouts. Emulate Energy offers a glimpse into the future of energy management: their innovative virtual battery systems pave the way for a more sustainable, cost-effective, and resilient power grid.

A world powered by clean energy is one where our electricity comes from the sun and the wind. As we use more and more renewable sources, we also face a challenge. These sources can be unpredictable. That is where Emulate Energy comes in. –We want to accelerate the shift towards clean energy, says Shwan Lamai, the CEO of Emulate, who resides in Boston.

Emulate's solution and software act like a giant battery, albeit virtual, by controlling everyday devices in our homes and businesses. Think smart thermostats, electric vehicle chargers, smaller battery systems and even heat pumps.

By adjusting these devices, we can help balance the flow of electricity on the power grid, says Shwan Lamai.

Emulate Energy’s mission is to help transform the energy landscape.

We help electricity retailers and grid operators move to sustainable power through our virtual battery technology, says Shwan Lamai. He underlines their commitment to accelerating the global shift towards clean energy.

The Power Grid: A Huge Invisible Network

The power grid, or the electrical grid, is the vast network that delivers electricity from power plants to our homes and businesses. It is an invisible infrastructure that keeps our everyday lives running smoothly. The infrastructure is complex and consists of several key components:

There are the facilities that generate power, such as fossil fuel (coal, natural gas) plants, nuclear power plants, hydroelectric dams, solar farms, and wind turbines. These generate the electricity that flows through the grid.

Then, there are the lines that transmit electricity from power plants to substations. These are high-voltage transmission lines carrying electricity over long distances.

We’ve also got substations that help distribute. They step down the voltage to a lower level to make it suitable for homes and businesses. These then deliver the electricity to different places.

Finally, there are the connection components. These include everything that relies on electricity. They are all connected to the grid, either directly (homes, businesses) or indirectly through the systems that generate and distribute electricity (power plants, transmission lines). We’ve got appliances, lights, electronics, and various electrical systems in homes and businesses.

Smaller localized grids, electric vehicle charging stations, and industrial facilities are also connected to the grid.

The Importance of Grid Balance

A challenge is to keep the changing grid balanced. 

The ever-increasing demand for electricity, coupled with the rise of variable renewable energy sources like solar and wind, is a challenge for grid stability. There needs to be a constant balance between electricity generation and consumption, Shwan explains.

A crucial aspect is to maintain a constant flow of electricity.

The amount of electricity generated needs to match the amount being used at any given time. If the grid is imbalanced, we can get voltage fluctuations or even blackouts.

Emulate has a solution to this problem.

A Virtual Battery Idea

Emulate's software connects to a variety of devices in homes and businesses, including smart thermostats, electric vehicle chargers, and heat pumps.

By intelligently controlling these devices, our software can identify periods of peak energy consumption and adjust device settings (like slightly raising thermostats) to reduce demand, he says. This means we can collectively create a significant impact on the grid, like how a physical battery would store and release energy.

We support electricity retailers and balance service providers in managing grid stability by optimizing energy use and creating virtual batteries.

Also, Emulate integrates with device manufacturers like smart thermostats and electric vehicle chargers, allowing these to offer customers features like smart energy management and potential cost savings.

The Benefits of a Virtual Battery System

There are numerous benefits to the solution. It is environmentally friendly: one needs no physical batteries and can thus avoid the environmental impact of producing as disposing of batteries. 

The solution can save costs. We can all see lower electricity bills through when energy use is optimized.

Finally, as the solution helps utility companies manage fluctuations in energy demand and supply, particularly with the rise of renewables, it leads to a more stable and efficient grid.

Emulate's Journey and Future

Emulate's journey started in 2020 with Shwan Lamai and Daria Madjidian, who grew up and studied together in Lund. The company is based on Daria’s postdoctoral research from Massachusetts IT, Boston.

Daria's research focused on controlling energy loads.

This involved studying electric vehicle charging, heat pumps, and batteries. His goal was to understand how these elements could be managed to work like a physical battery.   

Shwan's career began in consulting and the heat exchanger industry, leading to establishing an office in the Philippines before launching Emulate.

Shortly before the Covid-19 pandemic, we decided to leave our corporate day jobs and develop a concept based on Daria's research.

The energy transition was gaining momentum.

We were driven to make a positive impact. Our company was not founded solely to address a specific problem but rather to develop a groundbreaking core technology that we saw could tackle a significant challenge.

Emulate is now a market leader in Sweden. The team is expanding across Europe and the US. Their innovative system is paving the way for a more sustainable, cost-effective, and resilient power grid for the future.

Next time you flick on a light switch, remember the invisible dance happening behind the scenes and the role Emulate plays in making it all work.

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