The energy grid as we know it is being rewritten—literally and digitally. With the rapid adoption of solar panels, battery storage, electric vehicles (EVs), and DC-powered appliances, the future is no longer centralized. Instead, it’s distributed, smart, and democratic. And now, with blockchain-inspired technologies, it’s becoming peer-to-peer.
At PICO BOX, we see ourselves not just as a hardware company—but as a pioneer in this new energy future. We’re building the DC infrastructure for tomorrow’s micro-scale Virtual Power Plants (VPPs)—and the trust layer that connects them may very well be blockchain.
⚡ The Rise of the Energy Prosumer
In traditional grids, you’re just a consumer—you take what the grid gives you, and you pay for it.
But in the VPP era, you’re now a prosumer:
• You produce power via balcony solar panels.
• You store power in home batteries or even your EV.
• You consume energy smartly with DC-powered, power-aware appliances.
• You may even sell your excess energy—to your neighbors, community, or back to the grid.
This is where blockchain-like technology steps in.
🔐 Blockchain for Energy: How It Works
Imagine a small neighborhood where every home has:
• Solar panels
• A battery or EV
• DC-powered appliances
• A DC microgrid connection
Now imagine this:
1. You charge your EV at night when electricity rates are low.
2. Your neighbor needs power the next day at peak pricing.
3. Instead of selling energy back to the grid, you sell it to your neighbor directly—at a fair price.
4. A blockchain-like ledger records the transaction—secure, transparent, and immutable.
This decentralized model eliminates the middleman (the utility company) and empowers the community. Every home becomes a node in a local energy network.
🚗 EVs: The Ultimate Power Bank
EVs are more than just transportation. They’re rolling batteries—and in a micro-VPP, they’re critical assets:
• Store power from your rooftop solar panels.
• Discharge power during peak demand to power your home.
• Even provide backup to others during outages.
And with vehicle-to-grid (V2G) and vehicle-to-home (V2H) technologies, your EV becomes part of the distributed DC ecosystem.
Add blockchain-based smart contracts, and you can automate trades, set rules (like minimum price or emergency reserve), and optimize energy flow across your neighborhood.
🏡 The DC-Powered Home of the Future
The micro-VPP and blockchain system only works if devices speak the same electrical language—DC power. Thankfully, that’s the natural output of solar panels and batteries.
Here’s what a DC-native home might look like:
• DC microgrid bus running at 48V or 60V
• Direct connection to solar MPPT controller and battery pack
• PC powered by PICO BOX DC-DC ATX PSU
• DC LED lighting, fans, laptops, and mobile charging
• Power-aware scheduling: devices turn on when solar is abundant
• Local energy market: appliances can respond to blockchain-based energy pricing
🔧 PICO BOX: Enabling the Transition
Our DC-DC ATX power supplies are already designed with this future in mind:
• Wide input range (16V–60V): ready for direct connection to solar and battery systems
• Compact and silent: ideal for small form factor computers
• Efficient and reliable: less conversion = less waste = more usable power
• GaN-based tech: cutting-edge power conversion with lower heat and higher efficiency
And soon, with our microcontroller-based ATX control and smart features, we’ll be ready to integrate into intelligent energy-aware home systems.
🌍 Reimagining the Grid, One Home at a Time
The old model: Power plants ➝ Utility ➝ You
The new model: You ⇄ Your community
With blockchain-like transaction systems, DC-native appliances, and community-driven power sharing, we’re not just improving the grid—we’re replacing it with something better.
At PICO BOX, we’re proud to be building the power supplies that make DC-powered living practical, efficient, and smart.
The future is decentralized, DC, and powered by you.
