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The Energy Division of Acciona has developed a pioneering solution at global level in the field of hybridization between wind and photovoltaic power. It consists of covering a wind turbine tower with flexible organic panels to produce energy for the internal electricity consumption of the turbine. The innovative project will allow the study of the performance of the organic panels -an emerging photovoltaic technology- and their application to improve wind turbine efficiency.

The system has been installed in one of the turbines of the Breña Wind Farm (Albacete, Spain), which ACCIONA owns and operates. The turbine is an AW77/1500 of Nordex-Acciona Windpower technology, mounted on an 80-metre-high steel tower (hub height).

Installed on the tower are 120 solar panels facing southeast-southwest to capture the maximum of the sun’s rays throughout the day. They are distributed at eight different heights, occupying around 50 metres of the tower’s surface area. The photovoltaic modules, with an overall capacity of 9.36 kWp, are of Heliatek technology (HeliaSol 308-5986 model). They are only 1 mm thick, and each one has a surface area of 5,986 x 308 mm.

In contrast to the conventional technology used in the manufacture of photovoltaic models based on silicon, these organic panels use carbon as raw material and are characterized by their structural flexibility, which makes them adaptable to very different surfaces. Other key features are lower maintenance costs, less energy consumption during manufacture, easier logistics and the complete recycling of the materials used, although their efficiency is still below that of silicon modules.

“The hybridization project in Breña means the optimization of the use of space for renewable energy production and it will enable us to test the efficiency of organic photovoltaics, a technology that we believe has one of the best improvement curves in terms of technological efficiency. That is why we have decided to pilot it”, says Belén Linares, Energy Innovation Director in Acciona.

Optimizing generation

The immediate application of the Breña project is to produce part of the energy that the internal systems of the wind turbine need. When the turbine is running, some of the energy generated is used to power the auxiliary systems. In shutdown mode, certain systems need to continue functioning so they are fed from the grid, which means that the wind turbine is registering a net consumption of energy.

The new photovoltaic system with panels on the tower will be able to cover, completely or partially, the energy demand related to the operation of the wind turbine when there is solar radiation, or even -in a possible later phase of the project- when the sun is not shining. This would be done through a battery storage system, leading to an improvement in the net production sent to the grid.

The organic panels are connected to two inverters that convert DC into AC for later connection to the grid which supplies the electrical equipment of the wind turbine.

The entire system is monitored with a view to evaluating it under real conditions, both from the point of view of energy production and degradation of the solar modules. Conceptually, it is a very innovative design in relation to previous experiences in wind power-photovoltaic hybridization, based on panels installed on the ground.

The idea is part of a wide-ranging innovation project driven by Acciona to study a number of emerging photovoltaic technologies, with the aim of pioneering the adoption of more efficient solutions in each case and consolidating its leadership as a PV developer. The company currently has over 1,200 MWp in operation or under construction in different parts of the world.

Source: Acciona

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For most people, their personal energy revolution begins with the installation of a PV system on the roof of their home. This allows them not only to cover their domestic energy needs, but also to make use of the entire spectrum of options offered by energy sector integration thanks to the intelligent solutions from Fronius Solar Energy. The ultimate goal is to power an entire household exclusively from self-generated solar energy, which can also be used to heat water and for e-mobility. This helps to increase the rate of self-sufficiency and to more efficiently utilise the PV system. When it comes to e-mobility in particular, it is important to have a suitable overall concept comprising a PV system, energy storage system, hot water generation and a wallbox – in other words, a domestic charging station for electric cars, bringing a new level of meaning to ‘solar power’.

A personal energy revolution involves exploiting the entire spectrum of energy sector integration. Optimum energy management enables the highest possible rate of self-sufficiency to be achieved with self-generated solar energy. This increases profitability and the rate of self-consumption while simultaneously reducing costs. Alongside electricity and heat, mobility is the third major sector that can be powered with electricity from a user’s own roof using solutions from Fronius.

“If you own an electric car, you’ll want to power it with solar energy,” explains Martin Hackl, Global Director Solar Energy at Fronius. “But you’re often not at home when the electricity from your domestic PV system is available.” This is where Fronius comes in: the solar energy experts are taking e-mobility to the next level and are making it possible to charge an electric car in the afternoon or evening with the electricity stored throughout the day. “It’s about having an energy solution that guarantees an electric car really is fuelled with green electricity,” adds Hackl. “To achieve this, you need to get the entire package right.”

Fuelling a car with green electricity

Owners of electric cars essentially have three ways of charging their vehicles. The easiest, yet most ineffective method, is to simply plug the car into the socket or wallbox when power is required and use the energy available at that moment. This often only enables the user to achieve a slight increase in self-consumption, as a large proportion of the electricity needed is drawn from the public grid.

To charge the electric car’s battery intelligently, a Fronius inverter with an integrated energy management function and a compatible wallbox (charging station for the home) is required alongside the PV system on the roof. The inverter informs the wallbox when there is surplus electricity available, which then charges the electric car. Self-consumption can typically be increased by a further 20% in this way.

Dynamic charge control (the car is charged with precisely the amount of surplus electricity that is available at the given time) and an additional Fronius battery raise the rate of self-consumption up to almost 100%, depending on the system size and consumption behaviour. With this method, the energy management system sends the surplus electricity that has been produced throughout the day to a Fronius Solar Battery for temporary storage until it is later needed to fuel the car with solar power.

“This ingenious method enables users to really get the most out of e-mobility,” says Hackl. “If you also upgrade your system with a Fronius Ohmpilot, which draws on surplus electricity to generate hot water, you will have a solution that makes the most economic sense and achieves the highest level of self-sufficiency.”

Source: Fronius

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Along 2018 Green Eagle Solutions, an independent SCADA solutions provider for the renewable sector, has performed several projects for the solar market to improve efficiency and as consequence profitability of several solar assets.

Green Eagle has provided many different solutions and products such as setting up the 24/7 maintenance and support service of OEM SCADA, monitoring platform retrofit or Power Plant Controller (PPC) tool development as well as the integrating of solar assets into CompactSCADA® Energy Control Center platform.

Most of these facilities are more than eight years old, and its SCADA systems were obsolete with very few technical capabilities. The Spanish solar sector has been especially punished by retributive changes, so very efficient solutions designed have been required to justify the investment. In this way, the strong expertise of Green Eagle Solutions in the wind energy sector was required to adjust its CompactSCADA® technology to provide customized solutions for each client and to achieve prompt results.

“Since there is room for improvement in operations and maintenance of wind farms, we are convinced that through OEM SCADA retrofit the solar PV sector may turn more competitive,” says Alejandro Cabrera, CEO, and co-founder of Green Eagle Solutions. “The most important point is to understand the status of the solar sector, its current needs and how the implementation of new solutions must generate immediate profits.”

In the present year, Green Eagle Solutions has already signed several agreements to implement CompactSCADA® technology working as the asset SCADA, monitoring and control tool. Some of these projects are part of the total portfolio of capacity allocated in the last Spanish renewable auctions.

Likewise, under the umbrella of the company’s internationalization strategy, it is planned to grow the market in different European and Latin American countries by postulating CompactSCADA® technology as a competitive and innovative solution in the field of monitoring and control of new solar plants.

Source: Green Eagle Solutions

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GoodWe simply can’t get enough! Having the quality requirements of a large spectrum of installers and end-users as a source of inspiration, GoodWe is pleased to introduce at the start of this new year of 2019, the totally brand new XS residential inverter.

The XS is an ultra-small single-MPPT, single-phase residential inverter that is even lighter and more compact than GoodWe’s NS inverter, saving installation space and easing the whole commissioning process. GoodWe has unbelievably miniaturized the XS inverter to have the size of an A4 paper, illustrating again the company´s leading cutting-edge technology. The XS weighs only 5.2kgs, making it also one of the most compact residential inverters available in the market.

Cannot emphasize enough the significant logistical advantages and the lower associated costs, which light weight and compact size of the XS represents more inverters can be loaded into pallets, reducing the cost of shipping it to destination from origin, at both international and domestic shipping levels. For installers, this is a blessing as with the XS they can significantly increase efficiency and profitability. And for users, handling the XS is something as simple as just putting it on a suitcase and taking it home.

It is available in 0.7kW, 1kW, 1.5kW and 2kWs. This represents also a wider range of options than GoodWe’s NS inverter, whose lower power range was of only 1kW. The XS broader scope of options and the fact that its lower power is as low as 0.7kW, makes this inverter a very suitable option for mini residential systems in which only two or three solar panels are installed, especially large social housing projects. The user of this kind of PV system won’t need to consider anymore installing two expensive micro-inverters because now the XS can do a better job at a lower cost.

Something noteworthy on the XS is that its small size is not a contradiction and does not compromise its technological muscles. The XS is mini but it still offers 30% of DC input oversizing, significantly enhancing the potential of the installations in which it is used. Likewise, by making use of sophisticated and patented topology developed by GoodWe, the XS does not jeopardize efficiency, delivering as much as 97.5% of European efficiency.

Its super low start-up voltage of 50V represents also an improvement over GoodWe’s NS inverter, permitting in this way longer electricity generation hours, something that definitely is another clear advantage over other alternative inverters in this segment.

As opposed to other inverters with single communications options, the communications of the XS are diversified, offering LAN and Wifi, which is perfect to meet the special requirements of different kind of users. For those groups such as old age groups or dwellers of social housing projects that may be inconvenienced by the setting up of Wifi or Wifi’s reconnection issues, the XS LAN communication system is perfect. Alternatively, WiFi connections are also available.

To conclude this list of attributes, design wise, the XS is a very stylized inverter, conceived to maintain the aesthetical harmony of the whole setting where it is installed. It´s is quite certain that many users will recognize it as a pretty cool solar appliance.

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Sondex® heat exchanger technology and VLT® drives from Danfoss ensure world-class efficiency in pump control and heat transfer at the world’s largest solar hot water system. The plant harnesses energy to heat the homes and workplaces of 40,000 citizens, supplying 18-20% of the annual heat consumption in the city of Silkeborg, Denmark. The plant reduces CO2 emissions by 15,700 t annually, helping Silkeborg to reach its ambitious target of CO2 neutrality in heat production by the year 2030.

The Silkeborg plant is designed to produce 80,000 MWh of heat annually. Solar water heating was chosen since it allows storage of solar energy harvested in daylight for use at night or at a different time of year. This extends the added value of the sun and makes solar solutions even more profitable.

The Silkeborg solar water heating plant contains 22 km of piping which links together 12,436 solar heating panels, installed over an area of 50 ha. The solar field is built in four independent sections, to ensure maximum operating reliability. If an operating problem arises in one field, the operators isolate it and then run on the other three.

The plant is designed for a lifetime of 25 years. It is a highly efficient plant, which is 4-6 times more effective than residential solar water heating systems installed typically on rooftops of private homes.

The solar hot water system runs on Sondex® heat exchangers and VLT® drives from Danfoss, which have powered a 30% cost reduction in its first year of operation, compared with traditional drive systems.

Reduced pump energy consumption

Four large pumps run continually in parallel to distribute the hot water to consumers. In addition, four more pumps are available on standby as a backup, should one of the pumps in operation need to be replaced. All eight water pumps are controlled by VLT® AQUA drives to maintain their energy consumption at an absolute minimum.

Successful transfer of energy

A total of four heat exchangers delivered by Sondex® are connected to the solar heating plant. The model is named S221 and has between 884 and 936 plates. At the utility in Silkeborg, the buildings are adapted to the size of the heat exchangers, specifically designed for this application due to the height differences of the landscape.

Silkeborg could have selected a smaller heat exchanger size, but then they would not have achieved the same close temperature on the primary and secondary sides as in the four major ones, which were chosen by the solar panel supplier Arcon Sunmark.

Silkeborg District Heating Utility decided to create a PN10 system, and consequently, the heat exchangers were calculated according to the pressure drop in the solar panels. The Sondex® S221 exchanger is currently the tallest model with connection size DN200 from Sondex.

By having a high temperature differential, it is possible to operate at a lower flow which means that it is not necessary to invest in larger pumps. At the same time, a small LMTD (Logarithmic Mean Temperature Difference) can maintain the temperature on the district heating side as close to the temperature of the solar heat side thereby enabling the transfer of as much energy as possible.

Source: Danfoss

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Rolls-Royce has signed a contract with C-Energy to extend their power plant installed capacity with further 23 MWe. The delivery includes two gas-fired gensets based on the new 20 cylinder Rolls-Royce medium speed V-engine, B36:45, that was launched at the Power Gen Asia in September this year. Rolls-Royce will also be supplying long term services for the new engines.

The new B36:45 engine series set a new standard in power and efficiency with exceptionally low fuel consumption and emissions of NOx, CO2, SOx and particulates. At 600 kW per cylinder it offers a 20 per cent increase in power per cylinder compared to its predecessor, the B35:40. The V20 is the largest variant available with an electrical output of 11,8 MWe.

The existing 60 MWe power plant of C-Energy was reconstructed in the beginning of 2015 with four B35:40V20 gas engines. At this time, this was the first natural gas power plant based on medium-speed gas engines in the South Bohemian Region prepared to supply heat and power to the local grid. Due to low coal prices however, electricity and heat in the region is still predominantly generated by coal-fired plants. Hence, the extension of the gas fired plant is considered as an additional step forward towards a green future for the region and country.

With the extension, the power plant will, from the end of 2019, deliver a total of 83 MWe electricity and heat for companies and homes in the nearby town of Tabor/Sezimovo Ústí roughly 100 kilometers southeast of the capital Prague.

Delivery of four Rolls-Royce engines among other investments helped to transform the old coal fired central heating plant into a modern power plant in 2015. Nowadays the plant not only supply power to the grid and heat to industrial customers and municipalities but also provide auxiliary services to the high voltage grid. The supply of brand new Rolls-Royce engines will enable the plant to increase its flexibility, to provide wider range of services and hence remain competitive on the pan European energy market.

The Rolls-Royce medium-speed engines will enable C-Energy to operate the plant efficiently, both in terms of cost and time. Both the B35:40 and the new B36:45 medium speed gas engines are flexibly designed for different operating modes. They can be used to generate base-load or peak power or can operate in combined cycle. The heat from the engines can be used to generate steam in the heat recovery steam generators, and the steam is supplied to industrial customers for their technological needs. The power plant can also be used for district heating by utilizing hot water from the engines.

The engines quick-start capability means the engines can ramp up to their rated load within five minutes, giving the plant access to the amount of power and heat needed within just a short space of time. In addition the new engines will be certified to provide primary and secondary grid regulation.

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MAN Energy Solutions has won the contract to provide a new combined-heat-and-power (CHP) solution for Ben Gurion Airport in Tel Aviv, Israel. As the future main energy source, a dual-fuel engine MAN 9L51/60DF will supply the airport with 9.2 MW of electrical energy. The engine will primarily run off a domestic natural-gas supply with plant hand-over – upon its construction by Israeli company, Telemenia – planned for the end of 2019.

The power-plant engine will not only generate electricity, but will also contribute to the airport’s air-conditioning system through combined-heat-and-power generation. Instead of a conventional, compression chiller powered by electricity, the air-conditioning system will exploit heat generated by the engine to provide cooling.

The cogeneration solution not only increases the plant’s efficiency to over 70%, but the airport will also save on the electricity that would otherwise have been required to operate the chiller.

An indispensible solution

With more than 16.5 million passengers a year, Ben Gurion Airport is the largest and most important airport in Israel, making a reliable energy supply indispensable. The operation of the new facility will mean that the airport will no longer draw its energy from the national grid but, rather, will operate independently of the public power supply.

In order to meet high safety standards, the airport’s energy supply must be assured in the event of any crisis. Accordingly, the reliability of the technology used is of great importance. Thanks to its dual-fuel capability, the MAN 9L51/60DF engine will remain fully operational, even during any disruption to its gas supply.

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Recently GoodWe announced that they are starting to take orders for its brand-new ET Series three-phase energy storage inverter which has been already certified by VDE4105. This is the most compact and lightweight inverter in the market with maximum efficiency of 98.3%, equipped with Uninterruptible Power Supply (UPS) function, backup overloading, AC charging functions and open-protocol EMS communication system.

Covering a power range of 5 kW, 8 kW and 10 kW, the ET Series allows 30% DC oversizing to fully maximize yield during extreme hot and cold weather and features a wide battery voltage range of 180 – 550 V to ensure customers flexibility choices and compatibility with different type of lithium battery. Furthermore, it features UPS function to inductive loads such as air conditioners or refrigerators with an automatic switchover time of less than 10 ms. It is also equipped with AC charging function whereas alternative current is able to charge the battery even when the inverter has not met its maximum performance.

When installing ET Series, battery will not be damaged by accidental swap of the positive and negative polarity which help to ensures safety battery installation. Not only that, GoodWe ET allows backup overloading up to 100%, which allows quick restart for inductive load such as A/C while it will not cause harm to any electrical appliances. The inverter is also in-built with open-protocol EMS communication system as it ensures interconnections between grid companies and batteries to dispatch electricity freely.

Compact and powerful ET series delivers independence and non-stop energy for both households and commercial applications.

Source: GoodWe

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MAN Energy Solutions has won an EPC-contract to set up a highly efficient, combined-heat-and-power (CHP) plant for Progressive Energy, the energy arm of the ElcaTex Group in Choloma, Honduras. The plant will be powered by 3 × MAN 18V51/60 engines with an overall capacity of 54.8 MW, generating power and steam for a nearby textile factory.

MAN Energy Solutions will take an EPC (engineering, procurement and construction) role in the project and will be responsible for the construction of the entire plant.

For textile manufacturing, steam is as important as power, which is why Elcatex Group were looking for a solution to efficiently produce electricity as well as steam to drive its manufacturing footprint. Thanks to the new plant, the company will be able to increase its energy efficiency while becoming more autonomous in its steam supply chain.

While the MAN 51/60 engines will operate on heavy fuel oil (HFO) once the new plant opens, Progressive Energy plans to convert them to gas operation as soon as a secure supply of LNG (Liquid Natural Gas, LNG) becomes available. The switch to gas will reduce the plant’s emissions even further.

Source: MAN Energy Solutions

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The electricity transmission and distribution (T&D) market is currently undergoing a major change as several countries are striving for better efficiencies, developing more suitable sources of renewable energy and are upgrading their transmission lines to higher voltages in order to reduce transmission losses, according to GlobalData.

The company’s latest report,‘Transmission and Distribution (T&D) Market Infrastructure, Upcoming Projects, Investments, Key Operators, and Key Country Analysis to 2025’ reveals that based on upcoming transmission line projects under various stages of development, China and India are set to add the most transmission lines, between 2018 and 2025.

China is increasing its renewable power generation each year, a country where the consumption hotspots are usually far apart. India, however, still has several parts of the country that do not have access to electricity. To connect these regions to the grid, and to connect the increasing power capacity to the supply network, transmission and distribution lines are being added at a significant rate every year.

Technological changes and upgrades are being made in the T&D market in order to make the transmission systems more stable against the intermittent nature of renewable energy sources. Increasing renewable power capacity has increased the need for countries to interconnect their transmission systems in order to balance generation and demand through the export and import of electricity. This in turn has pushed the construction of higher capacity interconnection lines.

Similar to transmission lines, the distribution line market is also witnessing rapid transformation in European countries, India, and China, either in terms of volume or advancement in technology. In underdeveloped and developing countries, the growth in the market is brought about by the expansion of their respective grids to provide electricity to all parts of the country. In developed countries where there is universal access to electricity, the growth of the distribution market is in terms of upgradation of these lines with advanced technologies.

In these countries, distribution utilities that would previously only connect generation sources to consumption points are now turning into electricity aggregators sourcing electricity not only from large generating stations, but also from distributed. It is in these countries that the use of electric vehicles is steadily increasing and distribution companies are creating new avenues of business by providing the requisite infrastructure along with the existing network.

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