While the conference and exposition officially begin on Tuesday, February 21, enthusiastic attendees from all over the globe flew in early to take in a tour of the Orlando Utilities Commission (OUC) Gardenia Innovation and Operations Center followed by a tour of the 740MW Cane Island Power Park.

Visit POWERGEN International in Orlando, Florida, 21-23 Feb 2023

Grid-edge R&D

OUC’s facility is where the municipal utility tests pre-commercialized or newly commercialized technology and includes a floating solar array, a vehicle-to-grid bi-directional charger, a 50-kW DC fast charger (soon to be upgraded to 120 kW), several Level 2 EV chargers, a 10-kW/40-kWh vanadium redox flow battery and two underground 8-kW/32-kWh flywheels.

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“We want to make sure we understand how they work, their operational characteristics and build new business cases around them before we put them in a position where they could be affecting our customers,” explained Rubin York, one of the three OUC engineers leading the tour.

In addition, OUC is testing a site controller that can operate the system in three main modes: PV smoothing, demand mitigation, which performs autonomous peak shaving, and contingency mode, which collects the assets into a microgrid.

“That is only possible thanks to these flywheels,” said York.

They go through a grid-forming bi-directional inverter which, in contingency mode, assess the frequency and voltage of the buildings and meters and disconnects the EV chargers, the PV inverter (per the IEEE standard), and any other load until the flywheels can output a good 60 hertz, 480-volt AC signal, said York. Once the flywheel generation is firm, OUC can slowly bring the loads back up and charge the EVs.

York also showed off the Cloud Impact Mapping System (CIMS), an in-house developed system that was designed to predict the ramp rate of solar PV as clouds come over and depart the solar PV. Should the technology scale, it could prove to be useful to electric utilities in Florida that are relying on a large amount of solar PV generation because Florida generally experiences a large amount of clouds.

“The goal is to build an array of these all around our territory, build a central repository, and have them effectively ‘hand off’ cloud systems to one another,” said York.

The OUC Gardenia site is also host to a rooftop solar array with bifacial solar panels and a solar parking canopy, which covers the parking lots for the facility.

Exceptional availability

After a quick bus ride and lunch, attendees toured the 740-MW Cane Island Power Park, which was available more than 90% of the time in 2021 and won an award for its exceptional availability.

Unit 3 of the park ran for nine months with no trips said Ken Rutter, COO of the Florida Municipal Power Authority (FMPA), which owns the plant. He added that the unit ran through Hurricane Ian and supplied power to customers who were able to accept it.

The POWERGEN group was split into four smaller groups and taken all throughout the park, viewing each generating unit, one turbine (that was not currently operating), condensers, cooling towers, the control center, and more. Rutter encouraged attendees to ask their tour guides anything at all – and they certainly took him up on that offer.

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This Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) waiver enables NYPA to conduct fully remote drone operations, such as asset and vegetative management inspections, at its 1,160MW Blenheim-Gilboa Pumped Storage Power Project in Schoharie County, about 60 miles from Albany, New York.

NYPA’s drone programme supports its asset management strategies and is part of an authority-wide digitisation initiative to modernise grid infrastructure to advance the efficient delivery of clean power statewide, according to a release.

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“The Power Authority is proud to be leading the way in the advanced deployment of automated flight technologies for use in the utility industry,” said Justin E. Driscoll, New York Power Authority acting president and chief executive officer. “Drones will become an even more valuable tool as we expand our capability to detect infrastructure issues and support our mapping and land management responsibilities. Being able to capture images remotely, regardless of weather conditions or distances, will allow us to track and evaluate our assets more efficiently and safely.”

FAA Part 107 regulations require pilots to maintain visual contact while operating a drone. This waiver allows operators to conduct operations without the requirement for the pilot or an observer to see the unmanned aircraft or to scan the surrounding airspace throughout the entire flight. Routes, however, must be pre-planned and the drone must remain within 50 feet above ground level or within 50 feet of structures.

The waiver was obtained with the help of Skydio, a US drone and software manufacturer providing equipment and advisory services. The waiver, which is specific to Skydio drones, authorizes operations through 2027 and grants NYPA the capability to conduct remote operations from other locations without an on-site pilot or visual observer. The timing of the waiver dovetails with the launch of a new drone docking technology by Skydio that allows drones to take off and land autonomously with a pilot directing operations from a remote location.

“This important approval enables NYPA to operate Skydio drones beyond line of sight without visual observers,” said Jenn Player, Skydio’s senior director of regulatory affairs. “Skydio autonomy and collision avoidance capabilities are key to conducting these low-altitude, high-value operations safely and easily.”

Peter Kalaitzidis, NYPA’s UAS programme manager, who submitted the application, said the Blenheim-Gilboa Pumped Storage Project was proposed as a first use case to prove the technology’s application, primarily because of the sparser population in the region. Drones are already being operated at various NYPA sites to monitor asset health, including for inspection of transmission lines, vegetation management and monitoring of overgrown trees, and spillway erosion mapping.

“Our application demonstrated to the FAA that we are ready to enhance our program and capabilities,” Kalaitzidis said. “Having this waiver removes limitations and unlocks opportunities moving forward. We will continue to explore potential uses for this technology that will benefit the Authority and hopefully the industry at large. At present, we are developing the procedures, mitigation steps and hardware so we can best use these resources over the next few years.”

NYPA’s in-house drone programme is researching and testing new applications to implement drones more fully into day-to-day utility operations while maintaining high standards of aviation professionalism and safety. More than 40 employees are trained as drone pilots.

NYPA is the largest state public power organization in the US, operating 16 generating facilities and more than 1,400 circuit-miles of transmission lines. More than 80% of the electricity NYPA produces is clean renewable hydropower.

Originally published on hydroreview.com

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The long-duration energy storage systems will support TID’s Project Nexus, a pioneering installation of solar panels over irrigation canals, aimed to generate clean energy while minimising loss of water through evaporation.

It’s a proof-of-concept pilot to study solar over canal design, deployment, and co-benefits on behalf of the State of California using TID infrastructure and electrical grid access.

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TID will use ESS technology to demonstrate the key role of long-duration energy storage in delivering reliable, dispatchable clean energy 24/7.

Funding for the project is provided by the State of California and administered by the Department of Water Resources.

“Long-duration energy storage is the key that will enable Project Nexus to not only conserve water and generate renewable energy, but provide on-demand, clean power 24/7,” said Hugh McDermott, ESS senior vice president, business development and sales.

“This project addresses multiple climate challenges at once and is the kind of innovative approach that will build a climate-resilient future. We look forward to delivering a solution that can be replicated across California and other drought-prone areas,” added McDermott.

ESS iron flow technology provides long-duration energy storage and is ideal for applications that require up to 12 hours of flexible energy capacity.

Project Nexus is expected to be complete in 2024.

The water-energy nexus

TID suggests that utilities are increasingly becoming aware of the overlap between water and energy management and are prioritising strategies to protect both resources as far as possible.

With Project Nexus, the water in the conveyance infrastructure has the potential to cool the solar panels, increasing their efficiency.

The solar panels also provide shade and wind protection over the water, reducing evaporation and leading to a reduction in aquatic growth improving water quality.

Research at the University of California has shown that up to 13GW of solar capacity could be installed over California’s canals, which would require approximately 3GW of energy storage and contribute significantly to the state’s clean energy and water conservation goals.

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The company intends to investigate the possibility of establishing a North American manufacturing system to match the increasing global demand for large-scale storage batteries.

Sumitomo Electric will make an initial investment of about $7,6m to prepare for local production and installation systems for their redox flow batteries.

The company announced its expansion plans at DISTRIBUTECH International in San Diego, and received positive feedback from US operators.

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Sumitomo Electric’s redox flow batteries are used in applications such as grid-side supply and demand adjustment, microgrid operation in emergencies, and energy trading in the ancillary services market.

According to Sumitomo Electric, their redox flow batteries are characterised by design flexibility and their longer life compared to other batteries.

Sumitomo Electric began developing redox flow batteries in 1985 and commercialised them in 2001.

Redox flow batteries are rechargeable batteries that are charged and discharged by means of the oxidation-reduction reaction of ions of vanadium. They have a longer service life with almost no degradation of electrodes and electrolytes, high safety due to being free of combustible materials, and availability of operation under normal temperatures.

These make the batteries ideal for use in power grid systems, according to Sumitomo Electric.

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The 2MW Symmetry Park energy centre in Biggleswade, Bedfordshire, is a collaboration between logistics company Tritax Symmetry and energy services firm BasePower and will provide clients at the park with reliable, green power.

The Symmetry Park system will augment power generation from several sources, including rooftop solar photovoltaics, batteries and a CHP plant.

Besides ongoing maintenance, the contract will see Rolls-Royce deliver two mtu QL EnergyPack battery storage systems with 2.3MWh capacity, which will act as the sole power source in times of low demand.

The company will also provide three mtu CHP systems (8V4000 GS) and two backup 1MW mtu 16V2000 DS1250 generator sets to provide power in case of an emergency.

Tom Leeming, development director at Tritax Symmetry, said the installation of energy centres “will provide tenants at the site with greater resilience, more competitive energy, and a pathway to fully net zero carbon in occupation”.

“We estimate a saving of between five and 10 per cent on grid energy bills and the energy centres are also upgradeable if extra power is needed, such as by adding additional PV.”

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According to Rolls-Royce, all the mtu systems and onsite solar photovoltaics will be coordinated by a smart microgrid control system consisting of two microgrid controllers operating in duty and standby mode.

The system handles both the dynamic load and power needs to maximise efficiency.

The energy centre operates in parallel with the grid supply or off-grid if required and the smart controls ensure the microgrid provides energy using the best source or combination of sources at any given time.

Andreas Görtz, President of Sustainable Power Solutions at Rolls-Royce, claimed the Biggleswade microgrid “will undoubtedly be a blueprint for further microgrid projects all over the world”.

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As a society, we need to reduce our energy demand and speed up the integration of renewables without negatively affecting industrial output.

This means switching to solid-state thermal batteries that harness surplus, or off-peak power, and available industrial heat for use on demand as secure, green steam and heat.

Read more content from ENERGYNEST here

Tamsin Lishman, Chief Revenue Office at ENERGYNEST, expands on what steps industries assessing feasible options can do when it comes to the decarbonization of industrial heat.

A long-term plan to disincentivize fossil fuel use and encourage more sustainable forms of power generation from businesses is urgently needed.

To achieve this, recognition of where our energy consumption goes is crucial.

Watch the full video interview below.

This interview was filmed in November 2022 at Enlit Europe in Frankfurt, Germany

For more information, you can visit the ENERGYNEST website here – www.energy-nest.com

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The Sembcorp energy storage system (ESS) spans two hectares of land in the Banyan and Sakra region on Jurong Island, southwest of the main island of Singapore.

Commissioned in only six months, the utility-scale ESS has a maximum storage capacity of 285MWh that can meet the electricity needs of around approximately 24,000 households for one day in a single discharge.

Its rapid response time helps mitigate the intermittency caused by increasing amounts of solar power in Singapore. It can also provide reserves to the power grid, which frees up power generation plants to generate more electricity to meet demand when needed.

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The Sembcorp ESS is an integrated system comprising more than 800 large-scale lithium iron phosphate battery units.

It uses a Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) platform by Envision which offers monitoring and control of the ESS from the site level down to each battery unit and auxiliary equipment.

Live monitoring through the use of intelligent sensors, security cameras and dashboards tracks operational performance.

A decentralised temperature control system by Huawei was deployed to maintain the batteries’ temperature difference within a narrow range. This increases the battery lifespan and ensures a stable power output, according to Sembcorp.

Ngiam Shih Chun, chief executive of the Energy Market Authority, said: “This large-scale ESS marks the achievement of Singapore’s 200MWh energy storage target ahead of time. It will complement our efforts to maximise solar adoption by storing and delivering energy given the intermittent nature of solar power. The ESS will also enhance our power grid stability and resilience by managing mismatches between electricity demand and supply.”

China Energy Engineering Group Shanxi Electric Power Engineering Co., Ltd. (SEPEC) oversaw the engineering, procurement, construction, infrastructure works, installation and commissioning of the Sembcorp ESS.

The Energy Market Authority (EMA), a statutory board under the Singapore Ministry of Trade and Industry, is taking proactive steps to encourage the deployment of energy storage systems across the island. Various statutory papers have been published to provide clarity on the deployment of ESS in Singapore and the current regulatory framework.

The EMA and SP PowerAssets (SPPA) are also collaborating on a regulatory sandbox to test SPPA’s ability to use ESS to smooth out electricity supply during times of high electricity usage in residential areas.

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The Hot Springs microgrid consists of a 2MW (AC) solar facility and a 4.4MW/4.4MWh lithium-based battery storage facility.

While the battery only technically has a 1-hour duration, the town’s typical load is typically less than 1MW, potentially extending the battery’s available duration to at least four hours.

In addition to providing clean and reliable energy for the town of Hot Springs, the microgrid will also perform grid services, such as frequency and voltage regulation, as well as ramping support and capacity during peaks on Duke Energy’s system.

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“Duke Energy has numerous smaller microgrids on our system, but this is our first microgrid that can power an entire small town if its main power line experiences an outage,” said Jason Handley, general manager of Duke Energy’s Distributed Energy Group.

Hot Springs has a population of just over 500. The town has limited rerouting options in the event of an outage.

During its testing phase, Duke Energy’s microgrid was able to pick up the town’s entire load from a black start without any help from the energy grid – using only solar and battery storage to restore power. The microgrid served the town’s load while the company gathered data.

Duke Energy worked with the technology company Wärtsilä, which supplied the battery energy storage system for the project. The microgrid utilizes Wärtsilä’s energy management system, the GEMS Digital Energy Platform, for integrated control of both the solar and energy storage facilities.

Duke Energy has over 60MW of microgrid capacity connected throughout its regulated areas.

In Asheville, North Carolina, Duke Energy operates a 9MW lithium-ion battery system at a substation site in the Rock Hill community.

In Haywood County, North Carolina the company has a 3.8- kWh lithium iron phosphate battery and 10 kW solar DC microgrid installation serving a communications tower on Mount Sterling in the Smoky Mountains National Park. 

Originally published by John Engel on power-eng.com

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The energy company has acquired the four-acre former Knapton Generating Station from Third Energy and plans to develop a 28MW battery on the site.

In addition, Centrica is exploring how Knapton could be used for off-grid hydrogen production, as well as the possibility for solar energy in the surrounding area.

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The first project at the site near Malton will be a 56MWh battery which will utilise some of the 41.5MW export capability of the existing grid connection. It’s anticipated the battery would be able to power around 14,000 homes for two hours.

The multi-million pound deal is part of Centrica Business Solutions’ strategic plan to create a 900MW portfolio of solar and battery assets by 2026. 

“Taking an old fossil fuel asset and revitalising it to help advance the decarbonisation of the grid not only feels the right thing to do from a sustainability point of view, but aligns with our strategy,” said Greg McKenna, managing director of Centrica Business Solutions. “We’re quickly acquiring a portfolio of assets that can play an important role in facilitating a net zero future for the UK.”

Gas production ended at the Knapton site in 2019 and the gas turbine and all gas processing equipment have been cleared, together with its housing shed and associated equipment being dismantled and removed.

Third Energy will retain the ownership of the 12 well-sites and associated gas pipeline network.

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Anhui Jinzhai Pumped Storage Power Co. Ltd., one of the divisions of State Grid Xin Yuan, signed a contract with GE Hydro Solutions in 2017 to supply four 300MW pumped storage turbines, generator-motors and balance of plant equipment for the Anhui Jinzhai pumped storage power plant in Jinzhai County, Anhui Province, China.

The first two units were connected to the grid in October 2022.

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The Jinzhai plant will play a key role in the journey to a stronger energy mix in the country, GE said. The Jinzhai pumped storage station will save up to 120,000 tons of coal and reduce 240,000 tons of carbon dioxide emissions every year.

“The Jinzhai pumped storage project now fully operational will provide for a huge amount of clean energy to China and will help stabilize the grid to ultimately help integrate more renewable energies in a reliable way,” said Pascal Radue, president and chief executive officer, GE Hydro Solutions. “And the beauty of hydropower projects is that it is set to be operational for the very long term, about 80 years, meaning that the project will provide affordable energy for several generations to come.”

GE Renewable Energy, a part of the GE Vernova portfolio of energy businesses, provides onshore and offshore wind, blades, hydroelectric, storage, utility-scale solar, and grid solutions as well as hybrid renewables and digital services offerings. GE Vernova — comprised of the Power, Renewable Energy, Digital and Energy Financial Services businesses — focused on supporting customers’ transformations during the global energy transition.

Originally published on hydroreview.com

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