The biggest of the many weak links we've discovered in making the electric grid smarter and more responsive is the fact that it is not easily re-configurable to support part-time power sources. In fact, for many years, you couldn't push excess power from your plant back to the grid. It wasn't that it wasn't technically feasible-- it was against the rules, and sometimes against the law. With the widespread use of cogeneration, however, these rules were changed, repealed or at least modified.
Then came the green grid movement. Now the existing grid has to be capable of adapting to variable power sources, like wind, solar and wave.
The elephant in the room, of course, is the fact that the grid can't store energy. It must be balanced between power produced, less losses, and power consumed.
That's what all the energy management devices are about. If you can keep your energy usage not just as low as possible, but as even as you possibly can, with few spikes either up or down, the easier it is for the grid to adjust.
So, what's to do? Well, one thing to do is to start installing storage devices on the grid so that the energy produced can be stored until it is needed. There are only two ways to store energy-- capacitors and batteries. Both, however, operate on DC voltage, while the grid is (mostly, anyway) AC.
Here's what ABB is contributing to the discussion:
ABB to develop energy storage solution in Switzerland
One megawatt battery storage solution to be integrated into power distribution network
Zurich, Switzerland, May 19, 2011 – ABB, the leading power and automation technology group, will partner with EKZ, a leading Swiss distribution utility, on a pioneering energy storage pilot project, which will 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. “We are pleased to partner EKZ on the development of this pilot battery storage project, which will provide useful insights and knowledge in this technology.”
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.
"This pilot will help us to evaluate battery storage as an option to ensure a secure and reliable power supply” said Peter Franken, head of energy distribution at EKZ. "Energy storage will be a focus area with the increase in distributed generation and renewables and could play an important part in the smart grid of tomorrow."
