Hitachi Energy is pressing the energy industry for urgent adoption of new technology.
- The company’s integrated Grid-enSure solution aims to ease energy transition challenges.
- It targets grid stability, flexibility, and resilience as key improvements.
- Enhanced power electronics are central to managing grid inertia issues.
- Key installations in Europe illustrate Grid-enSure’s real-world success.
In a decisive call to action, Hitachi Energy has emphasised the immediate necessity for the energy sector to embrace its evolving technological solutions. The company is advocating for its integrated platform, Grid-enSure, which has been designed to mitigate global energy grid challenges by capitalising on advanced control systems and innovations in grid technology.
The premise of Grid-enSure is to address the pressing concerns of decarbonising power systems, integrating renewable energy sources, and achieving net zero emissions. Hitachi Energy’s Vice President of Grid Integration Product Management, Inés Romero, has pointed out the urgency in deploying this technology, given the current industry challenges and the opportunities for acceleration in decarbonisation it presents. She mentioned, ‘We feel that at this point it’s time to really accelerate how new technologies are deployed in the market, because we do see that this is a unique way of solving the challenges we see ahead.’
A significant challenge that Grid-enSure aims to solve is the issue of inertia in energy systems, exacerbated by the increasing adoption of intermittent renewable energy sources. Traditional power systems relied on large synchronous generators to provide a steady inertia response. In contrast, the Grid-enSure platform employs high-power semiconductor technologies, including Enhanced Statcom and HVDC systems. These innovations allow for improved energy utilisation and stability without the need for additional power plants.
The platform has demonstrated success in real-world applications, such as the energisation project in Scotland’s Caithness Moray-Shetland, which efficiently transmits wind energy from remote locations. Furthermore, an initial installation at TransnetBW in Germany is set to improve grid inertia by nearly 2 GW, thereby enhancing power quality for millions of consumers and several industries.
Niklas Persson, Managing Director of Hitachi Energy’s Grid Integration business unit, highlighted the critical juncture at which the energy sector finds itself. He noted that with unprecedented quantities of renewable power being introduced globally, traditional solutions may not suffice, thus necessitating a more comprehensive strategy. This reflects the sector’s overarching need to reconsider the planning, design, and operation of power systems to keep pace with the rapid energy transition.
As the energy industry faces unprecedented challenges, adopting solutions like Grid-enSure appears crucial.
