Case study on Indonesia shows dLab’s solution can lead to avoided emissions

A report from cleantech investor network Cleantech Scandinavia shows that the smart grid analytics platform by Dlaboratory Sweden AB (publ) could significantly reduce emissions in countries where diesel generators are used as back up during power outages. The yearly avoided emissions are estimated to 1,4 million tons of CO2 equivalents.

In many countries across the world, power outages are backed up with local generators fueled by diesel or petrol. About 8 % of the installed global capacity of these so-called back-up generators (or BUGS) are in Indonesia, and the country also suffers from frequent and long outages: an average yearly duration of 960 minutes per customer and an average frequency of 10 times per customer (Perusahaan Listrik Negara annual report 2018).

Cleantech investor network Cleantech Scandinavia has conducted a forecast on climate impact potential of the technology used by dLab, based on a potential roll out of dLab’s solution in 10 percent of Indonesian energy company Perusahaan Listrik Negara’s grid during a five-year-period. dLab’s solution can reduce outages and subsequently the need for BUGS, as well as enable utilities to understand and thus reduce reactive power in the power grid. It may also facilitate the addition of renewable energy sources.

Looking at these factors, the report shows that dLab’s solution can support the transition to a sustainable energy system in Indonesia. In numbers this means a potential yearly avoided emission of about 1,4 million tons of CO2 equivalents in case dLab was deployed in the entire grid, as a conservative estimate. Other positive effects, not investigated in the report, include potential savings due to more efficient maintenance and operations.

– The report came to several eye-opening conclusions. Avoiding outages, and thus increasing grid reliability, may be the immediate gain, but the long-term effects of using our solution are beyond that, says Henrik Winberg, COO.

The report further concludes that the systemic impact of the solution goes beyond the avoided emissions. Taking the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals into account, dLab’s solution adds substantial positive effects on multiple goals, among those: SDG 3 – Good Health and Well-Being (reduction/elimination of generators); SDG 7 – Affordable and Clean Energy (improving reliability of the energy system); and SDG 8 – Decent Work and Economic Growth and SDG 9 – Industry, Innovation, and infrastructure (improvement of the electricity network can strengthen the national economy).