Applus+ is a company that focuses on innovation as one of its pillars for the pursuit of operational excellence and, therefore, is constantly evolving.
Therefore, in the energy sector they continue to expand their services and solutions aimed at increasing the final quality of products in the renewable industry and the useful life of generation and storage assets from their inception.
This has led to Applus+' s Energy & Industry Division, which includes the brands Enertis Applus+ and Barlovento Applus+, participating in 750 GW of capacity and 30 GWh of energy storage projects worldwide, according to figures provided by the company at the close of 2023.
Among the emerging technologies that they have begun to cover with their wide range of offerings, battery energy storage, green hydrogen, and offshore wind power stand out.
According to Álvaro Velasco , Regional Manager LATAM for Renewable Energy Services at Applus+ , the interest in the first of these is due to the fact that "in recent years the price of lithium-ion batteries has experienced a reduction, reaching a historically low point, which is attributed to the remarkable increase in production capacity throughout the value chain and technological innovation, all combined with a growing demand.
However, its implementation would entail some challenges.
Among the main challenges for this technology to advance in underdeveloped or developing countries, the Regional Manager LATAM for Renewable Energy Services at Applus+ pointed out:
- The availability and sustainability of raw materials for manufacturing lithium batteries can be a challenge.
Working on diversifying sources and researching more sustainable alternatives can help reduce dependence on specific resources and stabilize costs.
- The initial cost of implementing energy storage systems with lithium batteries can be prohibitive.
To make progress in these countries, it is necessary to develop financial models and financing schemes to make these technologies more accessible, possibly through public-private partnerships or government incentive programs.
- Integrating energy storage systems with lithium batteries requires an adequate electrical infrastructure.
In some countries, this infrastructure may not be fully developed or may be obsolete, resulting in the need for additional investments.
- The potential lack of technical training and knowledge of advanced technologies among local workers may be an obstacle.
In this sense, it is essential to develop educational programs so that they can understand, operate, and maintain these systems.
- The lack of specific policies and regulations for energy storage can create uncertainty and discourage investment.
Collaborating with local governments to develop clear and supportive regulatory frameworks, including specific incentives and objectives, is essential.
- Lithium-ion batteries are not the only emerging technology that presents both challenges and attractive opportunities for development.
Like other regions, Latin America is launching decarbonization and electrification plans for its economies, in which green hydrogen is one of the vectors to be developed.
Therefore, the company is already moving forward with its offering of services and technological solutions for pioneering projects of this green energy vector in strategic locations.
"The main inquiries we receive are related to preliminary feasibility studies, technical assistance, and even basic and detailed engineering," revealed Álvaro Velasco, who also clarified that for now, the projects currently being developed are on a small scale.
Although several commercial electrolysis technologies already exist – the process by which hydrogen is extracted from water – the economic viability of projects is still being analyzed, especially due to the high production cost of green hydrogen compared to other types of hydrogen, such as gray hydrogen.
Another great window of opportunity would be in the location of offshore wind turbines.
Latin America is beginning to show interest in offshore wind energy, especially Brazil and Colombia, although the Applus+ representative acknowledged that the development period for these types of projects is long, between 5 and 7 years, and therefore it is still necessary to wait to see results. IWEX , a highly advanced ultrasonic inspection technology developed entirely by Applus+ and based on full matrix capture (FMC), allows for the precise location and measurement of defects in welds thanks to its 3D resolution. It is applicable to both onshore and offshore wind projects and is particularly useful for quality control of welds during the manufacturing process of wind turbine towers, jackets, transition pieces, and macropiles (monopiles).
"This technology allows for an increase in the final quality of the product and the useful life of the asset from its inception."
"Having components that meet high-quality standards is especially critical in offshore projects, where the operating environment, the sea, is more aggressive, and where any repair is more expensive than in an onshore installation," Álvaro Velasco noted regarding IWEX.
In addition to the technology mentioned above, Applus+ has many other advanced solutions for the wind industry, such as the service of inspecting wind turbine blades using drones with autonomous flights and equipped with artificial intelligence, which allow this type of intervention to be carried out very precisely and safely.
Likewise, it has customized remote inspection or assistance solutions for each client and project, very useful in installations that can be developed in isolated areas and whose value chain covers different countries, as happens in many wind projects, where the manufacture of certain components can be carried out in third countries, the pre-assembly, in the ports of arrival and the final installation on site.