KONE Joins Current/OS to Develop DC-Powered Elevators

KONE, a global leader in the elevator and escalator industry, announces its accession to the Current/OS Foundation. KONE will put the Current/OS approach in action to develop a Proof of Concept (PoC) for an elevator powered in Direct Current (DC), showcasing the potential gains in energy efficiency and contributing to a more stable and resilient electricity infrastructure. This partnership reaffirms KONE’s commitment to sustainable innovation and the development of more efficient and resilient urban mobility solutions.

Leveraging DC for more resilient lift systems

Integrating direct current in lifts offers significant advantages in terms of energy efficiency, durability and reliability. By recovering and reinjecting the energy generated while braking, these systems reduce losses and optimize electricity consumption. DC-powered systems are also better suited for renewable energies, better integrating solar panels and energy storage systems. As a result, lifts become nearly self-sufficient in energy, drawing minimum energy from the public grid. In addition, superfluous AC/DC conversions are avoided, making electrical distribution more stable, limiting breakdowns and making systems more resilient and secure.

For Tomio Pihkala, Executive Vice-President, Technology & Innovation at KONE, “It is essential to rethink our infrastructures for a successful energy transition. The adoption of DC in elevators is an important step towards making our buildings more efficient and sustainable, and we aim to pave the way for a new generation of smarter, more efficient and more sustainable lifts.”

KONE and Current/OS are also exploring the possibility of installing a DC lift in the DC Systems Experience Center (Aalsmeer, Netherlands), a space dedicated to demonstrating the energy solutions of tomorrow. The project aims to raise awareness among construction professionals and decision-makers of the tangible benefits of DC power, while providing experts with laboratories to test new concepts.

A new ecosystem in the making

Despite a number of everyday appliances, such as smartphones and computers operating in DC, it has not been sufficiently exploited to exchange power between devices, due to a lack of international standards. Deeply aware of this barrier to innovation, the Current/OS Foundation is committed to filling this gap by providing a secure and standardized framework to integrate DC in power distribution networks. With power generation becoming increasingly decentralized, notably through the use of photovoltaic solar panels, Current/OS is bringing together manufacturers and service providers around common standards. These ensure cross-compatible and safe DC appliances, accelerating the adoption of sustainable energy solutions.

For Yannick Neyret, President of the Current/OS Foundation, “Direct current is one of numerous tools at our disposal to make a success of the energy transition. Developing a norm for power distribution in DC remains a collective effort. We are grateful to our partners who are deploying projects demonstrating the feasibility and the advantages of DC, with the lift being a valuable example of the same.

About KONE

At KONE, our purpose is to shape the future of cities. As a global leader in the elevator and escalator industry, we move two billion people every day, making their journeys safe, convenient, and reliable with smart and sustainable People Flow®. In 2024, KONE had annual sales of EUR 11.0 billion, and at the end of the year over 60,000 employees in close to 70 countries. KONE class B shares are listed on the Nasdaq Helsinki Ltd. in Finland. www.kone.com

About the Current/OS Foundation

The Current/OS Foundation brings together an ecosystem of 90 partners from 25 countries, including electricity stakeholders, construction firms, certification companies, trade groups, universities, and more to promote a unified standard for DC installations, by providing rules for the manufacture and installation of compatible equipment that can operate safely in localized DC power distribution networks.