Smart Wires sees key strategic reasons to partner with Hunt Energy Solutions to accelerate commercial adoption by leveraging Hunt’s extensive connections in these Latin American markets. Hunt Energy Solutions realizes the transformational impact that Smart Wires SmartValve solutions can have for electric grids all over the world.
Announcing the deal, Hunt Energy Solutions said the two companies were aligned in their entrepreneurial spirit, and desire to transform how electric grids are planned and operated.
SmartValve solutions are gaining significant global attention and heralding a new era in the energy industry. Prior to Smart Wires, the industry lacked an easily redeployable, intelligent “valve” to efficiently route power along lines with excess capacity. Smart Wires allows utilities to fully utilize the grid they have already built.
SmartValves can increase or decrease the reactance of a given circuit, resulting in power pushed off overloaded lines or pulled on to under-utilized circuits. SmartValves are also capable of providing dynamic services (e.g. power oscillation damping). These solutions enable utilities to better control their transmission networks, which means they can now integrate renewables more efficiently and at a lower cost to consumers.
Series compensation is typically added to lines to help more power flow on them, ensuring they are used to their fullest potential. The traditional means of providing series compensation is by installing a series capacitor. The SmartValve solution provides key advantages compared to traditional series capacitors including the avoidance of sub-synchronous resonance (SSR), minimized impacts to system protections and real-time granular control.
SSR is a phenomenon that occurs when the mechanical resonant frequency of a generator shaft matches the electrical resonant frequency of the line. This is a key concern in US grids and in Latin America. This can cause catastrophic failures of generator shafts resulting in significant expenses and extended outages for repair. SmartValves cannot cause SSR because it injects capacitance only at the fundamental power system frequency rather than across all frequencies like a conventional capacitor.
In addition to the distribution agreement, Smart Wires has also signed a master supply agreement with an affiliate of Hunt Energy Solutions to supply SmartValves for future electric transmission projects in the southwestern United States.
Source: Company Press Release
