The shift to renewable sources of power generation that are decentralised and have to be managed presents opportunities for technology company Hitachi ABB Power Grids to be involved in the local energy sector.

Hitachi ABB Power Grids lead sales and marketing manager Stuart Michie states that new digital solutions can be used to manage these renewable sources of power, including the Internet of Things (IoT), software as a service, cloud services and improved telecommunications.

Hitachi ABB Power Grids has many new developments that are able to link these capabilities to manage sources of power, with Michie enthusing that “it is important to implement and test new technologies and best practices in local electricity networks to improve the security and quality of energy supply”.

He adds that the company’s experience with microgrids enables it to contribute to the “ideal grid of the future – one that is modular, decentralised and smaller”.

The company’s contribution to microgrids in the future can be particularly useful in emerging areas like commercial and industrial sectors, where the company is witnessing “how rapidly infrastructure is evolving, owing to changing consumer demographic shifts and needs”.

Michie highlights a number of new offerings from Hitachi ABB Power Grids that can be used to manage these solutions, such as the TXPert transformers, equipped with built-in digital capabilities, and the Tropos wireless network system that is used to connect devices in a secure, reliable network so that data can be shared.

The company’s Lumada enterprise asset management, field service management and asset performance management application combines IoT capabilities and deep domain expertise to deliver flexibility and faster “time-to-value” for customers looking to optimally facilitate infrastructure operations and maintenance.

The new prognostics capabilities of the Lumada offering also allow for the prediction of events so that proactive actions can be taken before failures occur.

The eThekwini Electricity Department, in KwaZulu-Natal, is also implementing the Lumada Asset Performance Management application, notes Michie.

He also points out that the MicroSCADA DMS 600 system, a software package designed for advanced distribution management, is an ideal combination of solutions to manage the distribution networks of local municipalities, from subtransmission to low voltage.

Microgrid management of available sources, such as solar photovoltaic, diesel generation, battery energy storage and a grid connection, with seamless transfer between the resources, provides the lowest-cost energy while maintaining a secure power supply.

“Energy management of local power networks using our MicroSCADA, as well as remote terminal units, can also provide insights and manage critical loads,” adds Michie.

The remote terminal units of Hitachi ABB Power Grids, combined with other remote data-collection devices and information gathering from customer calls, provide a comprehensive picture of the municipality power network in real time for network operators. Operators can then use this information to make better network management decisions.

“The data is collected and analysed using a data historian, allowing for better network planning based on accurate information. An improved experience is provided for customers, as the information made available to them through live and online channels is more detailed and accurate.”

VPPs

Michie stresses that the proposal by government to lift the self-generation threshold from 1 MW to 100 MW will enable electricity distributors to use new opportunities to meet their energy needs using new sources. These sources can also be aggregated to create virtual power pools (VPPs).

VPPs allow for electricity produced from distributed energy sources, such as solar and other ‘green’ sources, to be integrated intelligently, simulating a power utility-scale power system.

Using real-time information, VPPs optimise the power output of these resources located across a network.

Michie cites that energy fluctuations resulting from solar intermittency can be balanced automatically using a VPP.

Unlike microgrids, the tools are digitally connected, but can be spread out to provide aggregated grid-level benefits.

“As we move from a centralised to a distributed power model, VPPs offer new ways of assisting in transitioning, as they allow for renewable energy at scale and for renewables to contribute to stabilising the power system. Distributed energy resource management systems will provide services to help meet loads that are otherwise difficult to service due to power constraints”.

Michie remarks that Hitachi ABB Power Grids’ PowerStore battery energy storage system is a critical part of the VPP infrastructure, as it provides grid stability by balancing intermittent generation with smart and dynamic loads.

“We have the capability to use IoT concepts, and digital services enable us to participate in VPPs. Our portfolio encompasses the full range of enabling technologies. This includes conventional and renewable power generation, automation, grid stabilisation, grid connection, energy storage and intelligent control technology, as well as consulting and services to enable microgrids and VPPs globally.”