Technical Service Center / Willard Wu
willard@meanwell.com

In recent years, with the rapid growth of renewable energy and its increasing share in grid integration, power systems have gradually evolved from traditional centralized, large-scale generation to distributed architectures spread across various locations. However, renewable energy sources are inherently intermittent, increasing the demand for flexible dispatching and grid stability.

To enhance grid stability and enable a more flexible power infrastructure, bidirectional power supplies have evolved from simple power conversion devices into the core of energy asset management. They are key technologies for enabling Vehicle-to-Grid (V2G), microgrids, and residential energy storage grid integration (see Figure 1). As the logic of energy usage is being redefined, bidirectional power supplies are no longer optional—they are essential tools for transforming electricity from a “consumable” into an “asset.”

 

Figure 1. Applications of Bidirectional Power Supplies

MEAN WELL's latest BIC-5K bidirectional power supply complies with the international grid-connection standard IEC 50549-1 and provides the critical performance required for grid stabilization:

• Ultra-Fast Switching
• High Efficiency
• High-Voltage Support
• Flexible Expansion
• Smart Communication
• Enhanced Safety

The BIC-5K offers three operating modes: BIC Bidirectional Mode, Grid-Tied Mode, and Charging Mode.

• BIC Bidirectional Mode

  In this mode, the BIC-5K operates as a standalone high-power bidirectional power supply. It automatically detects voltage conditions to switch current direction, and can also switch via external signals or CAN Bus / Modbus communication.

• Grid-Tied Mode

  In this mode, compliant with IEC 50549-1, the BIC-5K functions not just as a bidirectional power supply but as part of a Distributed Energy Resource (DER) system.

• Charging Mode

  The BIC-5K's charging mode is more than just a high-power standalone charger. Charging parameters—including 2-stage or 3-stage charging profiles—can be configured via communication. It can also be combined with Grid-Tied Mode.
  Please refer to the full article for details. For related products and application needs, please contact MEAN WELL distributors or technical staff. You are also welcome to follow updates from MEAN WELL's online exhibition hall for product information and solution courses.

For more detailed information, please refer to the full article

For related product and application requirements, please contact MEAN WELL distributors or MEAN WELL application engineers.
Also, do not forget to stay tuned for online products and solutions courses on MEAN WELL virtual EXPO.