Energy Router: A Sustainable Solution for Future Residential Buildings

Electric energy consumption is increasing much faster than the predicted growth in energy generation. Although the installed capacity of renewable energy sources is also expanding, grid congestion remains unavoidable without adopting smart energy management systems (EMS) and flexible power electronics structures. Given the significant installed capacity of photovoltaic (PV) systems in the residential sector, moving towards zero-emission buildings (ZEBs) through the use of storage systems and smart power electronics is essential. This article provides a detailed review of power electronics solutions for ZEBs and offers strategies to address related challenges. By exploring the promising future of the low-voltage dc (LVDC) industry in ZEBs, it presents and compares grid connection scenarios and evaluates their overall efficiencies across hybrid, dc, and ac technologies. Furthermore, it addresses the integration of dc and ac systems in energy resources (ER), proposing solutions for challenges related to protection, grounding, and leakage currents. Finally, it examines the latest EMS solutions, emphasizing the shift to full digitalization through a combination of cloud-based and edge-computing platforms.