Bi-directional DC power relay gears up for home renewable energy systems
Bi-directional, high power DC switching is provided by the Omron G9KB PCB power relay, released by Omron DMS Europe. It is, said the company, the first product launched as part of its focus on tackling the challenges of climate change and, specifically, helping to drive the change to net zero emission fuels.
The Omron G9KB provides bi-directional high power DC switching for the next generation of renewable battery energy storage systems (BESS) for homes and DC wall boxes for electric vehicles (EVs). It can replace two standard uni-directional relays in this type of application.
The market for domestic-scale renewable energy generation systems is transitioning from a feed-in tariff model where unused (redundant) energy from solar panels is fed into the electricity grid, to a self-consumption or larger scale energy storage system that reduces grid dependency in favour of low or zero emissions power.
It has been introduced in response to the next stage of the renewable energy market, which will need reliable and safe switching between charging and discharging power from storage devices, said Steve Drumm, strategic marketing manager at Omron. “The G9KB bi-directional relay can be used within a power conditioner to ensure stable power output from a battery, and it will be particularly beneficial for domestic-scale renewable energy systems: for example, where electricity from solar panels is being used to charge an electric vehicle,” he said.
The G9KB (DC 600V/50A) features Omron’s arc cut off technology (CAE) that ‘stretches’ the arc using the magnetic force of a permanent magnet placed near the contact point. This makes the relay suitable for vehicle to home (V2H) and vehicle to grid (V2G) charger systems.
In a V2H system, the relay enables an EV battery to be used as a source of power for a household electricity system when the solar panels are not generating power; whereas in a V2G system the stored energy can be exported to the grid.
On 01 April 2022, Omron announced that its’ Electromechanical Components (EMC) division was renamed Omron Device and Module Solutions.
Omron Electronic Components Europe is the European subsidiary of the Device and Module Solutions division.
Omron Electronic Components Europe strongly supports its customers in Western and Eastern Europe through eight regional offices, a network of local offices and partnerships with specialist, local, regional and global distributors.
Omron Corporation specialises in the field of automation covering a broad spectrum, ranging from industrial automation and electronic components to social infrastructure systems, healthcare, and environmental solutions. Established in 1933, Omron has about 30,000 employees worldwide, working to provide products and services in around 120 countries and regions.
