Scotland’s Smarter Grid Solutions has been selected by Northern Ireland Electricity for an active network management trial on its distribution network in order to manage the output of generators connected to a single substation which is at or near its operational limits.
NIE had identified a specific issue concerning the reverse power flow limits at substations and contracted the Glasgow-based company to carry out a pilot project to control a small number of existing generators connected to a single primary substation under test conditions.
SGS has designed a solution based on its ANM 50 product, to control the test generators’ real power output in order to control the reverse power flow at the substation. The company has tested GPRS-based communications between the generator sites and the substation and is currently testing the system prior to installation and commissioning.
The roll-out of ANM 50 will allow NIE Networks to offer managed connections to a significant population of generators waiting to connect, that are currently impacted by limitations on the network. The company’s ANM technology enables the integration of distributed and renewable energy resources.
Their products facilitate up to three times more grid capacity, achieving 200% more renewables contributions, and reducing grid integration costs by over 90%.