The “Energy Transition” is a term used to describe the idea that our energy infrastructure is a critical component in properly addressing climate change. The current infrastructure, which in many aspects has existed in the same way for the past century (if not longer), was originally designed to distribute energy from central power-producing plants that run off of coal, gas, or nuclear energy. Since the origination of these grids, cities have of course exploded in growth, causing greater instability in the power network and increased costs to maintain outdated equipment. At the same time, the climate crisis is encouraging us to reconsider our energy sources and how to reduce emissions for the good of the planet.

The need for an updated grid, combined with the push towards clean, renewable energy, gives us a great opportunity to complete an “energy transition” towards a more sustainable energy infrastructure. The timing is right because renewables don’t require the same infrastructure as fossil fuels in many ways, which means we need to be mindful as we update the grid. For example, renewable sources create the option for a decentralized energy network, as opposed to the centralized plants that currently generate our power. Theoretically, anyone can utilize solar or wind technology to generate energy right at home, and supply excess energy back to the grid. A decentralized energy network has some distinct advantages such as better resiliency and a democratized energy marketplace, but it requires a different set of capabilities from the infrastructure.

The Startup Energy Transition, or SET, is an international organization sponsored by dena, the German energy agency. The goal is to promote firms whose technologies and services are propelling this energy transition forward. Each year, SET selects the top 100 companies around the world who are working on the energy transition, and hosts an annual conference to showcase ideas and advancements in the field.

PassiveLogic is proud to be identified as one of the #SET100 top companies globally, as our solution tackles many of the challenges that lie ahead in a successful energy transition. The PassiveLogic platform enables buildings to become fully autonomous agents in a smart city network. Each building will be able to see its own energy needs well into the future and communicate this information with other buildings, allowing for entire-grid synchronization of energy generation and demand. Backed by digital-twin smart contracts and artificial intelligence, PassiveLogic provides some key pieces to unlocking the full potential of the energy transition.