Smart Energy Storage Solutions

Energy Transition Solutions

Renewable Energy

100% Renewable by 2050
This week, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) released a one-year progress report on their on-going investigation into Puerto Rico’s electrical infrastructure. The report suggests that the island should begin heavily investing in renewable energy, specifically in small-scale, distributed solar power.

Battery Energy Storage

The largest battery storage project in Brazil, a 30MW/60MWh system, was inaugurated last year and presents a significant milestone in the country's energy infrastructure. Here are the key details about this groundbreaking project:
1. Project Overview:
• Capacity and Inauguration: The system has a capacity of 30MW/60MWh and was inaugurated on the networks of transmission system operator (TSO) ISO CTEEP.
• Investment: The project required a total investment of US$27 million, with ISO CTEEP permitted by regulations to earn up to US$5 million in revenue from the asset each year.

2. Impact and Purpose:

• Increasing Hosting Capacity: The BESS will help increase hosting capacity to cope with an expected increase in demand on a congested network. This enables the TSO to defer investing in a more expensive traditional transmission line.
• Non-Wires Alternative: The project serves as a 'non-wires alternative' or storage-as-a-transmission asset, demonstrating innovative approaches to enhancing grid capacity and reliability.
• Reducing Fossil Fuel Reliance: It aims to reduce reliance on fossil fuel peaker plants, which are often polluting and expensive, despite their infrequent use.
3. Location:
• The plant is located at an ISO CTEEP substation in São Paulo.

 

CHP and Microgrid

CHP can be a key resource to use in a microgrid because it provides a reliable, continuous, and controllable baseload source of electricity and localized thermal energy. Until energy storage allows renewable energy sources to be cost-effectively and reliably available on a continuous basis, CHP will continue to be a valuable resource, allowing renewables to serve peak daytime loads and support utility grid operations.

A profitable partnership.

These mutually compatible technologies come together to be more efficient, more cost-effective, more profitable, and more useful than they are on their own. 

• A CHP system linked with a microgrid allows the customer to utilize electrical energy and the thermal energy (hot water, steam, or chilled water) produced by the microgrid's power generation system.
• Increases overall efficiency, especially in the consumption of fuel feeding the microgrid's power generator.
• Reduces net operating costs. CHP often forms the most economical anchor for a microgrid system.
• Energy provided by the CHP can help with load balancing or add to energy storage. Battery Storage can keep CHP running at the most efficient conditions

 

Benefits of Flexible Coal Units and Battery Storage

Operating a 600MW coal unit with such a wide range from 13.7% to 105% of its capacity brings numerous benefits to the grid, particularly in the context of integrating renewable energy sources:

  1. Enhanced Grid Stability: With the ability to dial down to 13.7% of its capacity, the coal unit can compensate for the variability and unpredictability of renewable sources like wind and solar, maintaining grid stability without the need for excess standby power.

  2. Flexibility in Energy Supply: The broad operational range allows the unit to quickly ramp up or down in response to changes in renewable energy generation, providing a flexible backup that can fill in during periods of low wind or solar output.

  3. Reduced Reliance on Peaking Power Plants: Typically, peaking power plants, which are often gas-fired and more expensive to run, are used to meet short-term peaks in demand. A coal unit with a wide operational range can reduce this reliance, leading to cost savings.

  4. Improved Efficiency and Cost-Effectiveness: Operating efficiently across a broad range of outputs can lead to better utilization of the coal unit, reducing the need to operate additional, less efficient units or purchasing power on the open market, which can be costly.

  5. Lower Emissions: By operating at lower capacities when renewables are generating more power, the unit can reduce its overall fuel consumption, leading to lower emissions of CO2 and other pollutants per unit of electricity generated.

  6. Support for Renewable Expansion: The flexibility of such a coal unit supports the expansion of renewable energy by providing reliable backup power, encouraging further investment and development in renewable energy projects.

  7. Energy Storage Optimization: By filling in the gaps when renewable sources dip, such flexible coal units can work in tandem with energy storage systems, optimizing the use of stored energy and reducing the size and cost of batteries or other storage solutions needed.

In essence, the ability of a coal-fired power unit to operate from 13.7% to 105% of its capacity is a key enabler for the seamless integration of renewable energy into the power grid, fostering a more sustainable and economically viable energy landscape.

Sunco International Inc. IL,USA. All rights reserved.