The BESS way forward for active power chain management
16/10/2017 Hitachi Energy UK Limited
Stuart Grattage, ABB General Manager T&D Infrastructure & Grid IntegrationSolutions, outlines how ABB has developed Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS)
technology for active management of various issues across the power value chain.
Dynamic frequency control
The capability to maintain grid frequency within pre-set limits is now one of the most pressing issues for UK power networks to avoid power supply interruptions. This is because the increasing level of renewable energy does not offer the spinning mass and inertia provided by traditional, large generation plant - which has historically enabled our grid to maintain its frequency within the tight limits essential for stability.
The strategic deployment of BESS installations can help bridge this growing inertia gap by delivering vital grid frequency support. The battery absorbs power when the frequency is too high and injects power when the frequency is too low.
Load levelling
In load levelling the battery is used to store excess energy produced when demand is low and then make it available when demand is high. This approach is particularly useful in industrial applications where there is usually sufficient energy to meet the load but occasionally insufficient power at peak times. In this case, rather than reinforcing the plant feeder, a BESS can be a more cost-effective and faster to implement solution.
Peak power shaving
For peak shaving, the BESS delivers stored energy to the grid during periods of high demand, reducing the burden on the distribution network. This effectively reduces the gap between peak and average demand, improving the overall efficiency with which the electrical energy is used. Using a BESS for peak shaving can help a utility to defer the major investment that might otherwise be needed to reinforce the network infrastructure to meet peak demands.
Power smoothing
Another key advantage of our BESS technology is its power smoothing capability to prevent sudden surges or drops in power supply. The stored energy smooths out any erratic power from intermittent energy sources such as wind and solar power plants, so that the utility receives constant and consistent power. Islanding for microgrids Operating within a grid-connected microgrid, a BESS can enable seamless islanding. This ensures that should there be any interruption to the main power supply then the microgrid can disconnect from it and rely on the energy stored in its battery to maintain security of supply. The BESS might even help in black-starting the main grid.
For more information, please contact:
Karen Strong
ABB Power Grids Division UK
Oulton Road
Stone
Staffordshire
ST15 0RS
Tel: +44 (0)1785 825050
Fax: +44 (0)1785 819019
Email: karen.strong@gb.abb.com
Web: www.abb.com
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