The problem with solar and wind generation of electricity is that the
peak generation from those sources seldom coincides with the time of
peak demand. So, while there is some help to the grid, they do not
alleviate the peak demand generating capacity problem--which is also
generation at its most inefficient.
One potential solution is to find a way to store the excess electricity
generated by these sources to be used when really needed. ABB is working
on lithium-ion battery technology at large scale to tackle this
problem.
In the first release, it announced it will partner with EKZ, a Swiss
distribution utility, on a pioneering energy storage pilot project, said
to be the largest of its kind in Switzerland.
Located in Dietikon, the pilot storage facility will be integrated into
the utility’s power distribution network and evaluated in key areas such
as balancing peak loads, intermittent power supply, and the viability
of such a solution for grid optimization.
"Storage will play a key role in the evolution of more flexible and
smarter grids as we address the challenge of accommodating growing
amounts of intermittent renewable energies like solar and wind power,"
said Oleg Aleinikov, head of ABB's substations business, a part of the
company’s Power Systems division.
ABB will supply and install the one megawatt lithium-ion battery-based
solution with an initial capacity to store 350-500 kWhs (kilowatt hours)
of electricity providing additional power to the grid on demand. EKZ
will evaluate the connection and behavior of grid-linked battery storage
and monitor various operational and economic parameters. The pilot is
scheduled to be energized by the end of 2011 when EKZ will take over the
operations.
In the second release, ABB announced it has commissioned its first
DynaPeaQ energy storage installation for UK Power Networks at a site
north of Hemsby in Norfolk, England.
DynaPeaQ was recently launched by ABB and is part of its family of FACTS
(flexible alternating current transmission systems). It is a
combination of SVC Light (static var compensator) technology with a
highly scalable lithium-ion battery storage capability.
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As part of the solution,
renewable wind-generated energy from a local
village will be fed into the power network. Some of this energy will be
kept in reserve to support power supplies in the event of a fault, or to
regulate the power flow to compensate for the intermittence of wind
power. The ABB system includes eight stacks of 13 lithium-ion battery
modules housed in a 25 sq. meter building. The modules will be
continually charged and discharged, and can store up to 200 kilowatt
hours (kWh) of electrical energy.
"DynaPeaQ is an innovative technology that advances the integration of
renewable power generation, especially in weak electrical networks,"
said Martin Gross, head of ABB's Grid Systems business, part of the
company's Power Systems division. "It can play a useful role in the
development of more flexible, reliable and smarter grids."
DynaPeaQ technology enables dynamic control of power in the transmission
system, improving grid voltage and stability, and leveling out power
fluctuations in the case of renewable energies. The rated power and
storage capacity is typically about 20 megawatt (MW) for approximately
15-45 minutes, but DynaPeaQ technology can be scaled up to 50 MW of
power for 60 minutes and more.
