Press Release | Zurich, Switzerland | 19.08.2021 | 2 min read
Two grid-stabilizing technologies combined in one device to enable transmission systems to integrate more renewable energy, contributing to carbon-neutral society
Hitachi ABB Power Grids today announced the launch of SVC Light® Enhanced at CIGRE 2021 – its next-generation grid stabilization solution. SVC Light Enhanced enables the smooth integration of renewable energy into the world’s rapidly evolving energy system, underpinning new and fast-growing uses for emission-free electrification, ranging from powering data centers to sustainable mobility.
The world’s power grids are coming under increasing strain from the destabilizing effects of variable and often unpredictable renewable energy (i.e. solar and wind) in the power mix. This is heightened by the closing of conventional power plants, which store large amounts of energy in their rotational equipment (called inertia) that is used to counteract disturbances that could cause an outage in the power grid.
The SVC Light Enhanced solution addresses these challenges by combining two power quality and grid stabilization technologies in a single compact device. This pioneering technology comprises an SVC Light STATCOM which provides vital reactive power to balance the impact of renewables. It also incorporates supercapacitors which store hundreds of megawatt-seconds of energy and automatically release it within milliseconds when disturbances occur, thus reducing reliance on conventional power plants.
“SVC Light Enhanced fills a large and growing gap in the market, for which our customers worldwide have been seeking an efficient and reliable solution,” said Niklas Persson, Managing Director of Hitachi ABB Power Grids’ Grid Integration business. “It delivers huge amounts of power instantly to keep grids stable and resilient, enabling utilities to increase their uptake of emission-free energy and progress toward carbon neutrality.”
STATCOM technologies, such as SVC Light from Hitachi ABB Power Grids have a 40 percent lower1 carbon footprint over their life cycle compared to traditional solutions. Earlier this year Hitachi ABB Power Grids delivered the world’s most powerful2 STATCOMs, enabling more renewable energy to flow through the German transmission system. Other recent innovations include the world’s first hybrid synchronous condenser and STATCOM in the UK.
The launch of SVC Light Enhanced is further evidence of Hitachi ABB Power Grids’ commitment to helping customers and countries transition toward a carbon-neutral energy future – a commitment that it has outlined in its Sustainability 2030 strategic plan.
1 Hitachi ABB Power Grids completed a STATCOM Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) to measure the environmental performance.
2 According to our technical analysis.
Hitachi Energy is a global technology leader that is advancing a sustainable energy future for all. We serve customers in the utility, industry and infrastructure sectors with innovative solutions and services across the value chain. Together with customers and partners, we pioneer technologies and enable the digital transformation required to accelerate the energy transition towards a carbon-neutral future. We are advancing the world’s energy system to become more sustainable, flexible and secure whilst balancing social, environmental and economic value. Hitachi Energy has a proven track record and unparalleled installed base in more than 140 countries. Headquartered in Switzerland, we employ around 38,000 people in 90 countries and generate business volumes of approximately $10 billion USD.
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