Rittal and Eplan show how energy infrastructure can be rolled out successfully and quickly

The necessary technologies for the energy transition are already available. However, power grids, power storage systems and the charging infrastructure need to be planned and rolled out much more quickly for the all-electric society to happen. The crucial question is how to standardise and implement energy infrastructure on a large scale. Eplan and Rittal will be showing how integrated engineering data, standardised systems technology and powerful partner networks can help speed up implementation at the “The Smarter E Europe” trade fair in Munich. Under the motto ‘Electrify your system!’, the companies will be showcasing real-world applications at Booth 310 in Hall B5.

“The energy transition will be achieved through the ability to standardise and scale solutions,” says Dr. Christian Maryska, Head of the Energy & Power Solutions Business Unit at Rittal. “We have to move away from one-off individual projects and step towards applications that can be implemented, replicated and transferred more quickly.” It is precisely there where the greatest leverage for accelerating the expansion of energy infrastructure lies.”

“The energy transition really begins during the engineering phase. This provides the basis for standardising the infrastructure and ensuring digital transparency with regard to the components needed for operation and maintenance,” says Stephanie Kudak, Vertical Market Manager Energy at Eplan. “The more easily solutions can be transferred in a structured and standards-compliant manner, the more quickly and reliably an infrastructure can be established and expanded.”

Rittal, Eplan and their partners are showing how this can be achieved. They combine engineering, systems technology and application expertise in one single ecosystem. The focus at the booth will be on solutions for charging infrastructure, energy storage and electricity grids that have already proven their value in practice. 

Charging infrastructure for scalable applications

One such example is the Powerblock, which Rittal developed in collaboration with EcoG. The modular infrastructure platform integrates Rittal’s system technology for enclosures, power distribution and climate control with EcoG’s software expertise. The app has been developed for charging stations, electric lorry depots and fleet sites. Supplementary components, such as energy management systems, battery storage units, or photovoltaic systems, can also be integrated. Charging capacity and charging points can be gradually expanded one step at a time. The digital availability feature in the Eplan software platform delivers high data quality, speed and standardisation starting right from the engineering stage, as well as an easy transfer to new projects.

Planning energy storage holistically

In the case of stationary battery storage systems, the interaction between the electrical infrastructure and temperature management determines the system’s performance. Rittal and Eplan will present the VX ESS battery storage portfolio, as well as a control cabinet for battery storage systems, developed in collaboration with their partner AXSOL and designed using Eplan. As power density increases, temperature management is gaining in importance. In addition, the companies are joining forces with their application partner Enico to present a chiller solution for demanding storage applications. It underscores the growing importance of high-performance cooling systems to ensure the safe and reliable operation of modern battery storage systems.

Expanding power grids in a standardised manner

Rittal and Eplan, together with their partner TRIPS, are presenting a protective housing and control enclosure or substations and converter stations. The application supports measurement, control, and protection functions in secondary technology and demonstrates how standardised configurations can be implemented to develop and operate grid infrastructure.

The solution is based on a VX25 bayed enclosure system with a mounting plate and a glazed door, a VX swing frame, RiLineX and a Blue e-cooling unit. The application is available as an Eplan project in the form of a digital twin and can be scaled as an application sample.

Engineering data as the basis for scaling

The solutions presented share a common principle: They are based on consistent engineering data and high data quality from the Eplan Data Portal. From planning and implementation through to commissioning and maintenance, this provides a consistent digital twin that accelerates automation and makes information available throughout the entire lifetime of an application.

Many companies face the challenge of converting extensive existing documentation into an up to-date digital format. However, this information is often available in multiple formats and can only be reused to a limited extent. At the trade fair, Eplan is demonstrating how existing documentation can be adapted for use in modern software environments. This includes migration workshops, international engineering expertise and AI-based approaches to the analysis and migration of legacy data. The goal is to apply existing knowledge to current project environments, thus laying the foundations for future engineering processes. The new Eplan Copilot complements this approach by acting as an AI-powered knowledge partner in engineering, making it easier for users to harness the full potential of the Eplan platform.

The partner ecosystem as a catalyst

The expansion of energy infrastructure calls for expertise across a wide range of disciplines – from engineering and software to power distribution and air conditioning, right through to specialist application skills. That's why Rittal and Eplan rely on close collaboration with partners who contribute their own respective expertise to specific applications. “Anyone who wishes to help shape the energy landscape of tomorrow must build ecosystems that bring together expertise from different fields, paving the way for end-to-end solutions that meet the customer’s needs,” says Dr. Maryska.