The winners of The smarter E AWARD 2025 announced

The renewable energy world is complex, multi-faceted – and ever-changing. And this is reflected by the 15 newly selected winners of the 2025 The smarter E AWARDs. The range they cover is truly impressive – from cloud-based planning software, optimised hardware components, and novel storage technologies to projects of various sizes with an immediate social and ecological impact, both locally and globally. While their approaches vary widely, all prize winners have one thing in common: They offer a novel and sustainable perspective on the energy industry, delivering innovative products, applications and solutions that accelerate the energy transition while boldly pursuing new paths towards a climate-neutral future.

Winners in the Photovoltaics category

7Secondsolar – AUTOPV

7Secondsolar is a Software-as-a-Service provider headquartered in Cape Town, South Africa. Their AUTOPV solution considerably cuts time, costs and effort for planning multi-megawatt-photovoltaic (PV) installations. The cloud-based engineering tool automates all technical aspects of the planning process, permitting real-time adjustments that allow a direct comparison of several planning variants. AUTOPV creates precise site layouts with optimal cable routes and positioning of inverters, DC and AC combiner boxes and solar modules. The tool also generates detailed technical documentation, CAD drawings, bills of materials and yield calculations. According to 7Secondsolar, the software cuts planning times by up to 50% and has already been used for large scale PV installations with a total capacity of 1.8 GW and more. The panel of judges was impressed with the level of innovation, the attractive pricing model and the ability for quick comparison and optimisation of system designs. AUTOPV offers solar companies an intelligent and cost-efficient solution to the growing market demand.

Longi Solar Technology – Hi-MO X10

Longi Solar Technology’s Hi-MO X10 solar module combines unique innovation with an attractive design. The back contact solar cell architecture comes with Longi Solar’s proprietary TaiRay wafers and 0 busbar (0BB) technology. Another key feature is the Bipolar Hybrid Passivation Technology that reduces power loss on both electrodes (positive and negative) and protects against UV-based loss of performance. This innovation enables a 670 W power output and an impressive module efficiency of 24.8%. The pioneering shading optimiser technology allows the Hi-MO X10 to boost its energy yield by allowing each cell to function as a bypass diode, reducing shading losses by up to 70%. As an added benefit, hotspot temperatures are lowered by 28%, reducing the risk of fire. The panel of judges stressed these impressive product features that allow Longi to create a new benchmark in terms of performance, reliability and safety.

Weidmu¨ller Interface – PV Inline

Weidmu¨ller, a family-owned business from Germany founded in 1850, was honoured for their PV Inline, a space-saving surge protection device designed to protect PV systems against overvoltage, including lightning strike surges. The space for PV cables is often limited, particularly when it comes to roof-top installations. The minimalist design of PV Inline has the solution. According to Weidmu¨ller, it is the smallest of its kind. The combiner box is available with SPD Type 1 and 2, and is certified according to protection class IP65. It can be mounted on either internal or external walls, in standard cable ducts or behind the solar modules. The plug and play design comprises ready-to-use PV cables and high-quality MC4 connectors. The judges were impressed with the PV Inline’s practical design and the functionalities that offer an effective answer to growing technical challenges in PV installation.

Winners in the Energy Storage category

CMBlu Energy – Organic SolidFlow Battery

The organic SolidFlow battery by German company CMBlu Energy combines high performance with low environmental impact. Series production is set to start in 2026. The long-term storage system can store 200 kWh of electricity and have an output of 40 kW. The modular design means that the system is scalable up to the gigawatt hour range and can store energy for several days. The design follows circular economy principles by using no rare or problematic materials and by consisting of 100% recyclable components. The unique chemistry combines solid organic polymers with an organic, metal-free electrolyte. These electrolytes are widely available and reusable, which makes this a sustainable and cost-efficient solution. The system is also extremely safe, thanks to non-flammable and non-explosive materials that do not produce any hazardous fumes. The company claims that the battery has in excess of 20 000 charging cycles and a DC-DC efficiency up to 90%. The panel of judges highlighted the impressive energy density, the innovative chemical composition and the economical, scalable operating principle of the organic SolidFlow battery.

Hydrostor – A-Compressed Air Energy Storage (A-CAES)

Hydrostor is a Canadian company founded in 2010. The company’s emission-free Advanced Compressed Air Energy Storage (A-CAES) technology provides compressed air storage for utility companies and municipalities. The system utilises purpose-built hard-rock caverns by filling them with compressed air and water and – thanks to storage durations of between 8 – 24 hours – is suitable for regions with high grid demand. According to Hydrostor, the system uses up to 10 times less land and 20 times less water than conventional pumped-storage power plants. The high energy density is achieved through hydrostatic compensation, in which a water column controls the air pressure. This technology is considerably different from other compressed-air energy storage systems and requires far less underground cavity space. The A-CAES uses a thermal management system that retrieves and reuses waste heat from air compression
without any need for fossil fuels. With a service life of up to 50 years and no performance loss, the A-CAES provides a safe and reliable energy storage option.

Samsung SDI – U8A1 (5-minute backup solution for UPS)

The Samsung SDI U8A1 is an ultra-high-output battery system for uninterruptible power supply (UPS) systems based on lithium-manganese-oxide (LMO) battery chemistry, which enables quick charging and discharging while maintaining a high level of thermal stability. The U8A1 can deliver power for five minutes at a discharge rate of 8C and an impressive 645 amperes, positioning it as a leader in its segment. Along with the integrated safety features of the active material, these exceptional features make the U8A1 the ideal solution for critical and sensitive environments such as hospitals, computer centres and refrigeration systems. The compact rack and the adapted temperature control make for an extremely small footprint – just 1.36 m² for a 1 MW UPS system. Samsung SDI offers a 10-year warranty and a 15-year battery service life, which minimises operating costs and the need for replacement parts. The judges were impressed with the U8A1’s performance, reliability and safety, all of which help guarantee the long-term safety for commercial UPS systems.

Winners in the E-Mobility category

• Friedrich GmbH – URBANROOF: Urbanroof is a solar carport that combines simplicity with sustainability.
• Samsung SDI – No Thermal Propagation technology: The No Thermal Propagation technology reduces the risk of thermal runaway and fires in EV battery modules. The
  battery modules are housed in a hard case with insulation between the cells, preventing thermal propagation in the case of damaged or overheated cells.
• Shenzhen Kehua Hengsheng Technology (Kehua Tech) – 40 kW high-performance, high-efficiency SiC charging module: The winning submission is a 40 kW charging module for EV fast charging stations.

Winners of the Smart Integrated Energy category

• Fenecon – Fenecon energy management system: The FEMS provides a fully autonomous visualisation and control of battery storage systems, solar inverters, heat pumps and EV charging stations for energy efficient and grid-serving operation.
• Toscano – COMBI-PRO-MAX: The COMBI-PRO-MAX, is a compact backup control system for solar and battery systems that is small enough to be held in one hand. In the event of a power failure, the system will automatically switch to backup or off-grid operation, ensuring the supply of critical consumers.
• Utiligize – Forecast & Investment: The Forecast & Investment platform enhances power grid planning by efficiently managing a high volume of distributed energy sources. The cloudbased software assists grid operators in optimising asset management and ensuring regulatory compliance. 

Winners in the Outstanding Projects category

Phaesun – BeCool: Clean cooling for markets in Kenya

Phaesun is a German company specialising in the integration of off-grid PV systems. Their award-winning BeCool solution is a sustainable Cooling-as-a-Service model for small market traders in the region around Lake Victoria, Kenya, where conventional cooling methods are hard to come by. Not being able to store fresh produce causes considerable social and economic problems. Phaesun’s solution provides traders with access to reliable cooling – without initial investment. The solar-powered cold stores consist of cold storage rooms and individual cooling boxes that can be booked via an app. The shaded cold storage rooms were manufactured on site in Kenya, reducing environmental impact, and a built-in PV installation powers a SelfChill ice-storage system. The cooling units are made of recycled and renewable local materials and come with pre-cooling via charcoal water evaporation. With this reliable and sustainable cooling solution, Phaesun is helping to strengthen resilient communities in rural Kenya.

Longi Hydrogen – 3000 NmÑ/h electrolyser in hydrogen-rich blast furnace smelting

Longi Hydrogen has received an award for a green hydrogen project in the Chinese steel making city of Qinhuangdao, replacing fossil fuels with zero-carbon energy for blast furnace smelting. The project uses two industrial electrolysers operated with recovered gases and renewable energy. Each unit has a production capacity of 3000 m³/h of hydrogen– making it the largest system in the world, according to Longi. Retrofitting existing facilities is inexpensive as it only requires minor changes to the infrastructure. The highly efficient furnace merely consumes 4.2 kWh/m³ of green hydrogen, which leads to an 8 – 11% reduction of carbon emissions – both an ecological and an economic benefit. The panel of judges praised this pioneering project for showing how even industries that struggle with decarbonidation can switch to green energy.

Karlsruhe Institute of Technology – BiFlow

BiFlow is an innovative project of the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT) in cooperation with Fraunhofer ICT, 1^st Flow Energy Solutions and Stage76. The project for a student dormitory in Bruchsal, Germany, combined a lithium-ion battery and a vanadium redox flow battery with an existing PV system to enable the storage of electricity and heat. The energy management system creates synergies between the two battery technologies used and optimises efficiency. The key innovation here is the thermal coupling module which recovers waste heat from the redox flow battery’s electrolyte tank. The battery is operated at 50°C instead of the usual 40°C, and the waste heat is fed into the building’s heating system, doing away with the need for conventional hot water storage. The BiFlow system is forecast to save more than €18 000 and 20 tpy of CO₂. The impressive project cuts rental costs for 150 students and serves as an excellent example of how the energy transition can be implemented in everyday life.

 

 

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Energy Global’s Spring 2025 issue

The first issue of 2025 is here! The Spring issue of Energy Global starts with a guest comment by Tim Reid from UK Export Finance about expanding operations overseas before a regional report from Aurora Energy Research no the effect of negative electricity prices in Europe. Other interesting topics covered in the issue include electrical infrastructure, sit surveys & mapping, developments in solar, and much more. Featuring contributions from key industry leaders such as EM&I, DeterTech, and Global Underwater Hub, among others, don’t miss the valuable insights available in the Spring 2025 issue.

Read the article online at: https://www.energyglobal.com/special-reports/07052025/the-winners-of-the-smarter-e-award-2025-announced/