ABB joins forces with start-up DEP for the energy transition

ABB is investing in Direct Energy Partners (DEP), a start-up which specializes in direct current (DC) microgrids. According to a press release, ABB Technology Ventures (ATV), the venture capital arm of Zurich-based technology group ABB, has acquired a minority stake in DEP, although precise financial details have not been disclosed. DEP is headquartered in Cornelius in the US State of North Carolina, with European headquarters located in Aarschot, Belgium.

DEP develops solutions for local power generation and distribution with scalable DC microgrids, further details of which can be found in the ABB press release. As per the definition on the website of the Zurich University of Applied Sciences (ZHAW), microgrids are “parts of the power grid that have a certain amount of local intelligence for control purposes. The sub-grid can cover a single area, a district or even a larger area”.

The DCIDE software platform developed by DEP streamlines the design and deployment of low-voltage DC microgrids. These DEP systems are 10 percent more efficient than the industry standard and their total cost of ownership is 30 percent lower. According to ABB, the designs are automatically compared with real products that are available digitally. Applications range from electric vehicles, solar power generation, wind farms, battery storage and hydrogen fuel cells, all the way through to LED lighting, computer data processing and consumer electronics. All of these technologies generate or require electricity in the form of direct current.

“Our new strategic partnership with DEP will allow us to deliver a digital platform that enables energy professionals to design and deliver DC microgrids with confidence”, comments Giampiero Frisio, President, Smart Power Division at ABB, in the press release. gba