Co-operate for a ‘back to basics’ rethink

According to Dr Jochen Kreusel, head of power and automation technology ABB’s Smart Grid section, electricity operating systems and the way electricity is used have remained fundamentally unchanged until now, with the only innovations being within existing systems. The result was the provision of a reliable service that produced a large amount of power.

But the drivers for change to ‘Electricity 2.0’ are evolving. The development of large-scale wind and hydro power from remote locations, as well as power generated from smaller units such as photovoltaic sources have now reached ‘a size and weight that makes it important to think through the whole story and address the more uncomfortable questions’, he said.

The real challenge is to create a smart grid supplied completely from renewable sources.

Challenges in developing such a grid include:

  • Gradients of output from ‘volatile’ wind and solar sources must be buffered by the rest of the system
  • Power generated from remote locations needs to be transmitted over large distances
  • There is only a small amount of decentralised ‘storage’ – for example lakes above hydroelectric plants, and small batteries. There is also ‘the overnight problem’ of excess production and under-consumption
  • Finding the right way to move forward by understanding which drivers apply in which context.

At the same time, the industry strives for more efficiency, better utilisation of infrastructure, and a more precise allocation of investments, he said.

 ABB is actively engaged in technical aspects of this second wave of electricity generation; in grids, in power generation and in applications such as automation.

Interconnect and extend the grid

The economically reasonable solution is to interconnect the power system and extend the grid, said Dr Kreusel. ABB is currently investigating the connection of renewable sources of energy across continents, from Europe, North Africa and Asia. Gradients in power output coming from each of these locations would be complementary. ABB is running simulations of virtual power plants that integrate units and sell the output, thereby translating the privately-owned generating model into the needs of the market and consumers.

Dr Kreusel said the development of such a smart grid was an interdisciplinary challenge that required new approaches in power and automation technologies and the co-operation of stakeholders so consumers would be presented with new ideas, and have an incentive to use them.

It would need new information and communication technologies, new legal and regulatory frameworks, and increased customer engagement.

Turning ideas from pilot projects into legal and regulatory frameworks would stimulate development of smarter solutions, and understanding and addressing consumer behaviour would take development forward. The process should be a complete ‘back to basics’ rethink of the system. “And this is not possible without intensive co-operation,” he concluded.

During his question-and-answer session, Dr Kreusel said pilot projects were important because they encourage collaboration between participants. Examples include the Smart City and Gotland projects in which ABB is a participant. Such cross-silo projects need innovation and support, he said.

In answer to the question of how an aggregated grid of renewable power sources that addressed variable consumer demand could be brought to market, Dr Kreusel said it first required a framework that made it possible, one which is actively controlled.