ABB’s PCS100 Energy Storage System strengthens smart grids and helps create a sustainable environment

Wind and solar are increasingly being applied in grid and mico-grid applications but the power generated is variable creating application challenges and restrictions in use. ABB’s PCS100 Energy Storage System allows energy storage such as batteries and flywheels to be coupled to the grid. Using advanced control algorithms real and reactive power can be rapidly injected to control power balance, voltage, frequency and general grid stability. This leading edge technology allows power generated from coal and diesel to be substituted contributing to a more sustainable environment.

Photo: ABB

The wind varies hour by hour and day by day. The intensity of sunshine varies night to day but also drastically with cloud cover. Renewable power generation using wind and solar is relatively easy to apply in low levels on a strong grid but high levels of renewable penetration, weak grids and off grid applications are problematic. Grid connected energy storage is increasingly being applied to realize the true benefits of renewables.

Grid based energy storage in the form of pumped hydro is a tried and proven technology that is widely applied for large scale and slower speed frequency control. New battery technologies such as Lithium Ion as used in the latest electric vehicles, flow batteries using pumped electrolyte and high temperature batteries such as sodium sulphur are now commercially available for grid connected applications. All of these batteries are DC and so require a converter to interface with the AC grid. The PCS100 ESS product is specifically designed for this application.

To gain maximum benefit from these new energy storage technologies much more than simple current controlled power injection is required. Fast acting Digital Signal Processors (DPS’s) incorporated into the product design allow both real and reactive power to be controlled at near instantaneous speeds. Both current and voltage sourced operating modes are available with the voltage sourced virtual generator mode particularly interesting. The engineers at ABB have succeeded in making the converter look very similar to an alternator but with even more control. This is particularly useful in micro-grid applications where the system must transition from grid connected to island mode seamlessly.

The ABB ESS product is part of the extremely flexible PCS100 modular converter family which offers flexibility, high reliability and redundancy. Energy storage interfaces are available in power rating of 100 kW to in excess of 20 MW. Batteries are not the only storage technology that can be coupled to the grid using the PCS100 ESS converter. Flywheel systems and new generation super capacitors have also been widely applied.

Renewable generation now commonly needs to meet strict grid codes before it can connect. The PCS100 ESS and sister product PCS100 STATCOM are often applied to achieve grid compliance. This often involves modeling of the system using software simulation. ABB have simulation models available of the PCS100 ESS suitable for use with many common simulation packages and can also help with system studies.
Although the PCS100 ESS is a new product it has already had widespread global application. To date over 30 MW’s of ESS converters have been delivered in more than 30 projects from Chile to Alaska and Hawaii to the Canary Islands. With a project pipeline of over 200 MW this business is very much in growth mode.

Photo: ABB

ABB are seeing increasing application of energy storage into mico-grid applications. In Island and other remote area power applications diesel generators are commonly applied. Diesel consumption can be dramatically reduced through the incorporation of wind and solar generation but to achieve significant renewable penetration energy storage and sophisticated system control is required. Diesel generators do not cope well with large and rapid changes in load or supplementary generation and so energy storage is a good fit. ABB has supplied ESS systems for wind and solar applications to complement diesels in sites from the heat of Indonesia to the cold of the Antarctic.

Grid connection standards are important and ABB’s PCS100 ESS meets the demanding functional requirements of the IEEE1547 Standard for Interconnecting Distributed Resources. PCS100 based system can be installed in cabinets, containers or E-houses by ABB’s local engineering centers to meet local standards and application requirements.

By choosing ABB’s PCS100 ESS as your energy storage interface you are not only benefiting from leading edge technology but also application knowledge, back-up and support available globally. The ABB’s PCS100 global engineering team takes great pride in their application knowledge and the contribution they can make to a more sustainable environment.