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Parliamentary Under Secretary of State at the Department of Energy and Climate Change Amber Rudd MP  welcomed the start of trials at what UK Power Networks is calling the largest electricity storage facility of its type in Europe. The building itself is approximately 760 square metres – about the size of three tennis courts — and is divided into two main rooms: one houses the transformers and inverter units that convert electricity from direct current to alternating current. The other room houses the battery racks and modules where the energy is actually stored.

After extensive testing of the giant battery – known as the Smarter Network Storage facility at Leighton Buzzard, Bedfordshire – it will now be trialled for two years by UK Power Networks, which distributes electricity in the East of England, London and the South East. The trials aim to explore ways to maximise the value from energy storage, by offering multiple benefits from the storage to both the local network and the wider UK system.

The Smarter Network Storage project has involved installing a 6MW/10MWh ”big battery” at one of Leighton Buzzard’s main substation sites, which is large enough to power around 6,000 homes for 1.5 hours at peak times, about 1,100 typical UK homes for a whole day during average or low demand times, or more than 27,000 homes for an hour.

By broadening the industry’s experience of large-scale storage in the most cost-efficient way, the project should help demonstrate how batteries can be used to make electricity networks more efficient and enable more low-carbon technologies to be incorporated into existing electricity networks.

“It’s great to see first-hand this innovative project – the biggest of its kind not just in the UK but across the whole of Europe» said Ms Rudd during a tour of the facility. “Cutting-edge smart networks like this will both enhance UK skills and allow us to capture and store new forms of energy generation. This will help us to build a smart grid, which reduces the need for further costly investment in grid reinforcement by enabling greater integration of cleaner renewable energy sources into our existing energy network.”

Barry Hatton, UK Power Networks’ director of asset anagement, said the project involves a range of commercial and technical trials to explore and improve the economics of electrical energy storage, allowing storage to benefit the electricity system in a number of sustainable and flexible ways. «We have also been developing a first-of-a-kind platform to help us optimise and manage a wide range of different services that the storage can provide,» he added.

The significant knowledge and learning from the trials, which includes research and recommendations into future regulatory and market frameworks for storage, will be shared with other network operators, trade associations, the Government and regulator Ofgem, and will support the industry in assessing the full potential of electrical storage, enabling more efficient use of storage in the future and reducing overall costs for customers.

“This project will have an impact not only for Leighton Buzzard but also nationally and internationally,» Hatton explained. «What we learn here from this exciting and important development will be vital for future similar schemes.”

Smarter Network Storage was awarded funding of £13.2 million from the Low Carbon Networks Fund. This was supplemented with £4 million from UK Power Networks and £1.2 million from project partners – a mix of businesses and academic institutions which are helping to deliver Smarter Network Storage.

The fully automated 6MW/10MWh Smarter Network Storage project will assess the role of energy storage in cost effectively delivering the UK’s Carbon Plan, saving more than £6 million on traditional network reinforcement methods. (SC Electric Europe is the lead supplier to the £18.7 million project, drawing on its extensive experience of deploying energy storage projects in the UK and around the world; Berlin-based Younicos contributed custom-built intelligent software architecture and components.)

By providing frequency regulation as well as load shifting, the project will stabilise the grid more effectively than traditional thermal generators, providing more space on the grid for clean, but intermittent renewable energies.

«Energy storage can play a major role in balancing the grid, as it solves the problem of renewable intermittency by absorbing surplus power and releasing it when needed,» said Andrew Jones, managing director, SC Electric Europe. «This function simultaneously helps to securely balance capacity and supply and protects the grid from Stress Events (e.g. power outages) on the grid.

«The introduction of energy storage in substations like the one at Leighton Buzzard can decrease the need and cost of traditional reinforcement, such as transformers and cabling.”

Several companies were recognized during annual SEPA awards presentation at SPI 2014 in Las Vegas earlier this fall. Following are the recipients: 

Warren McKenna, general manager of Farmers Electric Cooperative of Kalona, Iowa, was named ‘Utility CEO of the Year’ as a result of his leadership in making one of the smallest utilities in the United States – Farmers has about 650 members — a national model for a hands-on, keep-it-simple approach to financing and building solar energy projects. The co-op helped a Mennonite high school install a 51 kW solar system, with students and their families pitching in on the construction.  Farmers also launched a local feed-in-tariff to support member-owned installations at farms and homes and built out a community solar garden that always has a waiting list. In addition, Farmers recently powered up its first solar project that is privately financed through a PPA set up so that after 10 years the cooperative will own the 800-kW plant — currently the largest in Iowa. 
   
As a founding member of the Iowa Solar Energy Trade Association, McKenna also has become a statewide voice for solar. 

“»Warren McKenna is proof that industry-leading innovation can come to life at the smallest of utilities,” said Julia Hamm, president and CEO of the Solar Electric Power Association (SEPA).  “Warren has provided his co-op members with the opportunity to invest in local solar in ways that build a supply of clean power for the benefit of the entire utility.  He also sets a great example of how utilities and solar providers can work together in win-win business partnerships.” 

In addition to recognizing individuals, SEPA awarded several utility companies at the show: Georgia Power (Investor-Owned Utility of the Year); the City of Palo Alto Utilities (Municipal Utility); and the Southern Maryland Electric Cooperative (Cooperative of the Year). 

Georgia Power was honored for its leadership in building the nation’s largest and most rapidly growing voluntary renewable energy portfolio.  Responding to urgings from a wide variety of stakeholders — including advocacy groups, private citizens and the state’s public utilities commission — the utility established an acquisition and development model that tripled the company’s solar resources in less than two years. Georgia Power is now slated to add more than 1,400 MW of renewable resources by 2016, making the state a regional solar powerhouse. Another innovative program, the Advanced Solar Initiative, will develop 735 MW worth of various technologically advanced but cost effective solar resources in the state — without pushing up power rates.  The utility is also collaborating with the United States Military to develop 90 MW worth of solar facilities on military bases in the state.

The City of Palo Alto Utilities earned the 2014 award as a result of its leadership and innovation in demonstrating solar energy’s viability as a mainstream power source. It hascontinuously increased the size of its solar electric portfolio, including a recent PPA with 8minutenergy that puts the city on track to run on 100-per cent carbon-free power by 2017. The utility also offers customers a full set of solar services and incentives, including residential and commercial rebate programs, expedited permit processing, premium options allowing customers to further support green power purchases, workshops and one-on-one advice, and coordination with industry representatives. It has established a feed-in-tariff for third parties interested in investing in solar installations on local businesses and selling the energy back to the utility. Most recently, the city approved a plan aimed at providing 4 per cent of its energy needs from local solar installations by 2023. The plan includes a community solar component that will encourage solar development on schools, office buildings and other community buildings. 

The Southern Maryland Electric Cooperative (SMECO) earned the Electric Cooperative Utility of the Year honor as a result of its leadership and commitment to meeting Maryland’s renewable energy targets with locally generated solar power. As a regulated, single-distribution utility with 156,000 members, SMECO decided against the possibly easier path of fulfilling part of its renewable goals by purchasing renewable energy credits. Instead, it developed a 5.5 MW solar project on land previously used for tobacco farming, which it financed by creating a separate entity that was able to take advantage of the federal income tax credits then available in the form of a Treasury Department cash grant. Going this route required the co-op to win special permissions and waivers from the Maryland Public Service Commission. A second, 10 MW project financed through a private power purchase agreement is scheduled to go online in early 2015, ensuring SMECO can meet its state-mandated renewable goals through 2018. 

Finally, SEPA named Clean Power Research the winner of the ‘Innovative Solar Partner of the Year” award — a new category for 2014. Clean Power Research was recognized for its leadership and commitment to working with utilities to develop online services aimed at streamlining the interconnection process for PV solar projects and reducing the “soft costs” of solar permitting, installation and inspection. Most recently, it partnered with NV Energy to develop the next generation of its PowerClerk software, the newly launched PowerClerk Interconnect. The updated package will allow utilities to expedite approval of interconnection applications by taking current paper and mail-based processes online, from aggregating building permits and interconnection agreements to communicating with customers via automatically generated emails at various stages of the application process. It also allows utilities to capture system specifications for all solar systems, whether or not they are receiving state-level incentives. 

Save the date for SPI 2015: September 14 –17 in Anaheim, California.

ASTM International, an organization which sets industry consensus standards for fuels and lubricants, has voted to approve performance specifications for blends of 6 to 20 per cent biodiesel¹ with traditional heating oil. Industry watchers say the move is a significant leap forward in the industry effort to boost the percentage of cleaner burning biodiesel that homeowners and building managers use in oilheat equipment common to the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic.

The updated ASTM D396 Standard Specification for Fuel Oils, containing the new grade for blends of 6 to 20 per cent biodiesel, will be finalized and published by ASTM for public use after the usual ASTM review and editing process. It is expected by February 2015.(The mixture of biodiesel and heating oil is marketed as Bioheat® fuel, a registered trademark.) 

«The fuel oil industry is reinventing itself as a 21st century fuel by moving to higher blends of low carbon biodiesel and near-zero sulfur levels across the board,” said John Huber, president of the National Oilheat Research Alliance. According to Huber, the Bioheat renaissance gives oilheat dealers — mostly small, family-owned businesses — the ability to provide their customers with a desirable new product.

“Bioheat gives consumers the choice to use a clean, domestically produced fuel without having to invest in an expensive natural gas system,” said Paul Nazzaro, who leads the National Biodiesel Board’s Bioheat outreach program. “Setting these performance specs for increased biodiesel levels is hugely significant, because it opens the door for innovation in the heating oil industry and will allow more consumers to enjoy the full benefits of this fuel in their homes and businesses.”

Nazzaro added that — environmentally speaking — a 20 per cent blend of biodiesel puts Bioheat on par with natural gas, the biggest competitor to oilheat, while higher biodiesel levels up to 100 per cent biodiesel could reduce the carbon footprint of Bioheat up to 80 percent compared to traditional fuel oil.

The passage of 5 percent biodiesel into the No. 1 and No. 2 grades of ASTM D396 occurred in 2008. During the last six years, the Bioheat Technical Steering Committee, comprising industry technical experts and led by NORA and NBB, developed a tremendous amount of data that formed the basis for the ballot. The vote to pass the ballot came last week at the semi-annual meeting of the ASTM Committee D02 on Petroleum Products.

“The technical data with this ballot for the new B6-B20 grade verified what we have known for years — B20 made with high-quality biodiesel works well,” said Seth Obetz, president of Pennsylvania-based Bioheat distributor Worley and Obetz. “We have been marketing high-quality B20 for 14 years, and our customers see fewer problems with B20 than with conventional heating oil.”

Wholesale fuel provider Amerigreen reported at the ASTM meeting that it has more than 100,000 B20 customers. The company said that number is growing because Bioheat customers see less maintenance than with conventional fuel oil.

The NBB and NORA have invested millions of dollars in Bioheat research, outreach and education through funding provided by oilheat dealers, biodiesel producers and the soybean checkoff program.

REFERENCES

1. Made from a diverse mix of sustainable resources, biodiesel is an Advanced Biofuel as designated by the Environmental Protection Agency.

Do you want to ensure optimum yields and financial rewards from your Sunny Tripower system? Now you can with the new Cluster Controller from SMA.

Combined with SMA’s Performance Package, the Cluster Controller is the smart choice for installers and power providers who want peace of mind and maximum energy harvest from their investment. The key to lower OM costs, ROI and energy production is careful system monitoring using the most sophisticated equipment available. This high level technical overview will cover installation requirements, functions and capabilities, network connection and accessing user the interface.

Wednesday, September 17, 2014

9:00am PT

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RenewableUK and the Humber Local Enterprise Partnership welcomed the announcement by the Business Secretary, Rt Hon Vince Cable, of the development of a National College for Wind Energy. It will be the first National College dedicated to renewable energy in the UK.

The National College, to be based in the Humber area, will provide a ‘hub’ for skills, training and education initiatives. In addition, there will be a network of partners providing education and training across the UK. The primary focus of the Humber ‘hub’ will be offshore wind, where a large growth in skills is needed. The National College will also provide capability to support onshore wind and marine renewables.

The launch of the college is the result of a proposal to Government led by the Humber Local Enterprise Partnership and RenewableUK; the project is key to capitalising on the enormous potential that offshore wind plays in the Humber region and elsewhere in the UK.

«Helping young people acquire advanced technical skills for the industries of the future is vitally important,” said Skills Minister Nick Boles. “Through the College, Government and industry are investing in the people who will create local jobs and prosperity for the region. By arming people with the skills they need to be energy specialists, we can provide career opportunities for thousands of young Britons, boost the competitiveness of British firms and help the UK economy remain strong for the future.”

RenewableUK’s Chief Executive, Maria McCaffrey, agreed, adding: “This unique college will provide cutting-edge training for a generation of young people looking for a springboard into renewable energy. We need to ensure we maximise the extraordinary rise of green jobs in the UK; the growth in much-needed wind projects onshore and offshore has created a real demand for new skills and training as the sector goes from strength to strength. The college’s launch means we are one step closer to ensuring our global lead in offshore wind is reflected in home-grown skills as well”.

Benj Sykes, co-chair of Offshore Wind Industry Council and head of asset management at DONG Energy Wind Power, called the program a “great example of industry and government working in partnership with the Humber LEP to ensure that education and training routes are providing the skills our industry needs. Initiatives such as this will ensure that thousands of young people, as well as experienced workers making the transition from other sectors, will find employment in the UK’s offshore wind industry in the years ahead”.

Wind Energy is a growing industry with employment is expected to increase thereby greater demand for professional engineers, technicians, and a multitude of other roles, across the UK. Significant investment is needed to develop these skills to ensure the sector is able to meet its requirements. Recent research[1] provides evidence that employers are already experiencing skills gaps across wind and marine energy technologies, with 37% experiencing hard-to-fill vacancies. A National College for Wind Energy will provide the long-term strategic focus to address these shortages.

The college is expected to open its doors in late 2016, and will award new and mature students with professional qualifications and short courses (post A-level equivalent) in addition to bespoke programmes as directed and sponsored by employers.
 

Following a nine-month procurement process, Schneider Electric secured the contract despite stiff competition from other major industry players. As part of the deal, Schneider Electric will supply, install and manage 33kV Primary Switchgear and containerised Wind Turbine Generator (WTG) Integrated Substations for Scottish Power.
 
“The success of renewable energy projects is vital; the UK Government is facing challenging targets to cut greenhouse gas emissions, as well as aiming to reduce dependency on volatile foreign markets,” said John Patton, Northern UK Operations Manager at Schneider Electric. “With our help, Scottish Power Renewables are reshaping the British energy sector to build a new generation of clean and secure power supplies. By engaging local suppliers where possible, we’ve been able to deliver a competitive deal to Scottish Power and reduce the carbon footprint involved in such a mammoth project.”

Schneider Electric recently announced the official opening of Harestanes Windfarm in Southern Scotland by the Scottish Government Energy Minister, Fergus Ewing. The Harestanes project, which will deliver 136MW of Renewable Energy to UK homes, marks the significant milestone of over 1GW of on-shore renewable energy through the partnership between Scottish Power Renewables and Schneider Electric. The new framework will now take that figure to over 1.2GW by the end of 2016.
 

Don’t let a hurricane or polar vortex get your customers down. Explore stand-alone and battery backup systems using the industry-leading Sunny Island off-grid inverter, which is ideal for those who are prone to power outages or want more independence from the power grid.

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This class is worth 1 NABCEP continuing education credit

Wednesday, September 3, 2014

9:00am PT

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The Hoboken, N.J.-based solar monitoring and data analytics platform provider now manages one of the nation’s largest solar performance data sets, processing over 15 million data points daily for a cumulative total of more than 30 billion data points. This wealth of solar data provides the foundation for Locus’ fleet management and advanced analytics solutions.

«Locus’ strong growth is a testament to our focus on the solar market, and meeting its evolving needs in terms of distributed fleet management at scale,» said Michael Herzig, CEO at Locus Energy. «As the rate of solar adoption has grown, our products have become increasingly important to fleet owners and managers in their mission to increase efficiency and reduce OM costs.»

The 50,000 site milestone is a result of five consecutive years of more than 100 per cent growth, led by customer demand for its SolarNOC (Network Operations Center) enterprise-grade software, which allows system owners, operators and investors to more easily and cost-effectively collect, monitor and analyze real-time performance data from large fleets of solar assets, as well as its flexible and innovative data acquisition systems (DAS) solutions.

In addition to its rich feature set, flexible line-up of DAS hardware and its SolarNOC fleet management software, Locus now offers a suite of analytics tools called PVIQ¹ that provides real-time intelligence on solar performance, allowing owners and operators to easily identify which systems are not performing up to expectations and the reasons behind that underperformance.

«Solar electricity is entering the mainstream, with predictions being that it will be cost competitive with traditional electricity in many states before the end of the decade,» Herzig explained. «As the share of the U.S. electricity supply represented by solar continues to grow, Locus will be there to provide the industry with the sophisticated tools required to maximize electricity yields and minimize the costs of operating large fleets of residential, commercial and utility-scale systems.»

The G9 Offshore Wind Health and Safety Association (G9), in partnership with the Energy Institute (EI), has published two good practice guidelines for offshore wind safety, which were presented to the industry at a Stakeholder Forum in London on 2 December. The publications — Working at Height in the Offshore Wind Industry and The Safe Management of Small Service Vessels Used in the Offshore Wind Industry are the first guidelines to be issued by the G9.

“The publication of these guidelines represents a significant milestone for us, but is only the start,” said Benj Sykes, head of asset management, DONG Energy Wind Power, and chairman of the G9 Board of directors. “Together with the other members of G9, I look forward to working with our colleagues in our own organisations and in the supply chain to see these guidelines implemented, improving safety on our offshore wind farms.”

The 90 delegates in attendance at the Stakeholder Forum heard from key G9 members on the achievements of the association in 2014, with a focus on the efforts undertaken to develop the good practice guidelines. An overview was also given on the future G9 work programme for 2015, with particular focus on diving operations and helicopter operations.

The new guidelines are available for download from the G9 website.