BLIXT and Fortona team up – want to revolutionize the Dutch DC market
Fortona BV, part of Hanzestrohm, and Swedish tech startup BLIXT announced today that they have signed a MOU to market and sell solid-state circuit breakers in the Netherlands. Introducing this new technology is a game changer for industries, households and cities to migrate to energy efficient direct current (DC) networks, reducing both energy bills and carbon emissions.
Today, about 20% of the electricity produced never reach end-consumers, the majority is lost when converting between alternating current (AC) and direct current (DC) power.
With the ongoing transition towards clean energy, we see an increasing rise of DC power sources, such as solar, wind and batteries. At the same time, most of our devices, machines and motors (including electric cars) use DC power. But with an outdated AC distribution network, electricity needs to be converted between AC and DC (usually several times) before it reaches the end load, resulting in painful energy losses.
Migrating our electricity infrastructure to DC would eliminate those conversion losses and is therefore an obvious next step. But until now, DC grids has not been scaling as quick as it should, one of the main reasons being the lack of protection devices.
While a traditional electro-mechanical breaker works for AC, it cannot handle fast DC currents at higher voltages. BLIXT’s solid-state circuit breaker does not only act x1000 times faster than a mechanical circuit breaker, but it also provides real time circuit level metering and full control of the power flow. They can thereby be an integrated part of a more flexible and reliable power grid and revolutionize how we produce, manage, and consume electricity.
Moreover, BLIXT’s solid-state circuit breaker supports both AC and DC power, creating a bridge to the future. This unique capability means a building can gradually convert to DC without having to change the infrastructure – it’s a pure software configuration.
“The intention with this collaboration between BLIXT and Fortona is to provide the quickly growing DC market in the Netherlands with access to BLIXT’s world leading technologies, enabling an even faster transition with a substantial environmental impact. Working closely with a partner like Fortona, that shares our visions and have the capability, speed and resources to make an impact, will pave the way for a successful rollout, says Trued Holmquist, Co-Founder and CEO, BLIXT.”
Among the market activities for the launch of BLIXT’s new solid-state breaker, Fortona will engage with local installers and invite selected customers for pilots in the Netherlands.
''Fortona brings together the most innovative products, best practices and leading companies from around the globe to create a pool of technical and sustainably responsible solutions that are fit for the future. BLIXT is one of these innovative companies that has the same vision and capabilities with intelligent resources to create products with a real added value for a sustainable future.
"BLIXT can help our customers to realize safe DC grids, which we believe is the key to a sustainable, future-proof electrical infrastructure. We're looking forward to starting the partnership with BLIXT and launching pilot projects with innovative installers in the Netherlands.'' says Parsa Tashacori, Business development manager of Fortona.
About Blixt Tech AB
BLIXT enables real time software configuration of electricity to control both current and voltage. The solid state technology platform includes solid state circuit breakers and next generation battery system architecture, providing a future proof, software configurable, safe and efficient infrastructure for AC and DC. The company holds 44 patent applications and is since 2021 an official member of Infineon’s high-quality partner ecosystem program. BLIXT was founded in Sweden in 2018 and has received multiple industry awards.
About Fortona BV
As part of the Hanzestrohm group, with more than 70 years of experience in electrical engineering, Fortona is fully focused on the energy transition and DC micro grids. The combination of social and technical knowledge and support offers customers new opportunities in the field of peak shaving, cost savings and energy independence. The Fortona portfolio will include Bi-Directional charging stations, DC converters, Energy management and energy storage systems.
