Nanyang Technological University, Singapore (NTU Singapore) has partnered with Trinasolar, a global provider of photovoltaic (PV) and energy storage solutions, to develop advanced smart energy storage systems (ESS) aimed at enhancing efficiency, reliability, and economic viability in renewable energy applications.
With the increasing global adoption of solar, wind, and hydrogen energy, energy storage technologies are expected to play a crucial role in stabilizing power grids and optimizing energy use. The collaboration, led by the Energy Research Institute @ NTU (ERI@N), will focus on developing AI-driven tools to improve investment decisions, enhance system stability through intelligent forecasting, and deploy smart optimization algorithms for diverse energy storage applications.
Smart Investment Decision-Making – NTU and Trinasolar will develop a techno-economic modeling tool integrating meteorological data, market regulations, and electricity price trends to generate optimal storage configurations. This tool aims to provide investors with clear financial metrics, including return on investment (ROI) and payback periods, for better financial planning and risk mitigation.
AI-Powered System Stability – To tackle the intermittent nature of renewable energy, the collaboration will develop machine learning-driven forecasting models. These models will predict solar and wind energy generation, local electricity demand, and market price fluctuations, allowing energy storage systems to autonomously adjust charge and discharge cycles, ensuring a stable power supply while maximizing cost savings.
Smart Optimization Algorithms – The initiative will focus on intelligent energy management algorithms for large-scale battery farms and commercial & industrial (C&I) energy storage. These self-learning algorithms will enhance operations in energy arbitrage, peak shaving, and ancillary services, improving asset utilization and profitability.
Industry-Academia Collaboration for Energy Innovation
The partnership was formalized through a technology research collaboration agreement.
Professor Lam Khin Yong, Vice President (Industry) at NTU, emphasized the significance of industry-academia collaboration, stating:
“This partnership between NTU and Trinasolar reflects our commitment to advancing energy technologies that support the global transition to a low-carbon future. NTU has strong industry ties and a successful track record in renewable energy collaborations, ensuring smooth commercialization of research-driven solutions.”
Helena Li, Executive President of Trinasolar, highlighted the company’s dedication to innovation, saying:
“As a global leader in PV and ESS solutions, Trinasolar brings expertise in solar-storage market trends and cutting-edge technologies. Collaborating with NTU allows us to create tangible value for energy storage customers by optimizing costs, improving ROI, and enhancing system reliability.”
Professor Madhavi Srinivasan, Executive Director of ERI@N, added that energy storage is essential for the widespread adoption of renewables, stating:
“By leveraging NTU’s expertise in renewable energy research and Trinasolar’s global leadership in solar and storage solutions, this partnership will drive impactful advancements in energy resilience and sustainability through AI-driven innovations.”
The collaboration will be led by Associate Professor Xu Yan, Cluster Director of Smart Grids and Microgrids at ERI@N, and Director of the Centre for Power Engineering at NTU’s School of Electrical and Electronic Engineering.
