The changes in the energy market, including the removal of price caps and the introduction of time-of-use tariffs, are an opportunity, not a threat, said Dan Tudose, General Manager e-accumulators and founder of POWERToMe.

“It does no good to maintain a price cap that only hides the real problems of the economy. Investments must be amortised and accelerated, we have no other option. The question is how can we add value to each of our customers? And, at the same time, how do we manage the differentiated cost of energy on hourly timeframes, once the cap will be removed”, Tudose said at the “Energy Day” conference organised by Energynomics within the Green Energy Expo & Romenvirotec 2025.

As the number of prosumers grows, the energy they produce during the day cannot be fed into an already overloaded grid, and the solution is local energy storage. More than 68,000 new photovoltaic systems with storage are expected to be installed by 2025, in addition to the 200,000 already in place. A further 60,000 systems will be installed through RePower and PNRR, which means an increase of almost 60% in the number of prosumers.

Energy storage can be realised in batteries, hot water or thermal energy, explained Dan Tudose, and can thus be used in agriculture, the food industry, construction or even centralised heating.

POWERToMe, proposes a pragmatic and scalable model: storing energy in batteries, hot water or thermal energy – depending on the needs and specificities of each industry. It is a model that directly answers the essential question of any industrial consumer: how do I add value to my business using energy intelligence?

70% own energy – a realistic target

The POWERToMe recommendation for companies with available space (rooftop or ground-mounted) is clear: cover at least 70 per cent of their energy needs with locally integrated renewable sources – photovoltaics or wind – combined with adapted storage solutions.

Energy can be stored in three main forms:

• in electric storage batteries (already mature technology with local manufacturers available),
• in hot water (using heat pumps or boilers),
• in thermal energy (through power-to-heat systems with up to 95% efficiency)

Perhaps the most interesting solution is energy storage in the form of heat. The systems proposed by POWERToMe convert electrical energy into thermal energy, stored in 100% recyclable and local materials. This energy can be utilised instantly or after several hours or days, depending on the need, and the lifetime of these systems is estimated at 40 years.

Such a system can provide up to 20 MWh of thermal energy, with a 4-hour charging and 18-hour discharging regime, making it ideal for continuous industrial processes or for night-time periods.

Industries ready for transition

The energy storage model developed by POWERToMe is already applicable in several sectors in Romania:

• agriculture – for grain drying, greenhouses, vegetable processing;
• food and pharmaceutical industry – for controlled thermal processes;
• building materials – where thermal energy can power various processes;
• animal feed – drying and sterilisation processes;
• centralised heating – especially in rural communities or small towns.

These industries can turn surplus PV into a competitive advantage, optimising operational costs and reducing their carbon footprint.

The energy of the future is flexible, local, and smart

More than a technology, energy storage is becoming a business strategy. In an economy where energy prices are no longer artificially controlled, those who know how to produce, store and consume energy intelligently will gain a clear advantage in the market.

DOWNLOAD THE PRESENTATION OF DAN TUDOSE

Finally, as Dan Tudose emphasised, it’s not just about becoming a prosumer in order to feed energy into the grid. It is about building a flexible own consumption model, adapted to market dynamics, which adds value to every product, every service and, above all, every customer.

The conference „Energy Day at Green Energy Expo & Romenvirotec” was organized by Energynomics, with the support of our partners Elektra Renewable Support, LONGi, SolaX Power and with the involvement of HENRO, COGEN România, CIGRE România and FEL România.