According to the company, the new system combines energy storage provided by Saft’s 5.2kV battery, which will help respond to disruptions in the grid, with ABB’s static var compensation (SVC) Light technology for dynamic voltage control. Potential applications include industries with high short-term power demands as well as utility grids fed by a percentage of variable renewable energy sources, especially wind power.
The new SVC Light with dynamic energy storage is to further extend ABB’s Flexible AC Transmission Systems (FACTS) portfolio covering technologies that enhance the security, capacity and flexibility of power transmission and distribution systems, as well as improving productivity and power in industrial applications.
The company said that, while current FACTS technology is focused primarily on stabilizing grid voltage, the addition of energy storage now broadens its scope to covering short-term load or supply variations.
Per Eckermark, head of ABB’s FACTS system group, said: “The aim of this project is to demonstrate the value of incorporating lithium-ion energy storage within a FACTS system. It could play a vital role in ensuring the stability of utility grids as the penetration of wind power increases.”
ABB is engaged in power and automation technologies that enable utility and industry customers to improve performance while lowering environmental impact. Saft is into design and manufacture of high-tech batteries, which are used in high performance applications such as industrial infrastructure and processes, transportation, space and defence. The company is also a manufacturer of nickelcadmium batteries for industrial applications.
