Smart Wires Receives Order for a Second Largescale Project with ISA Transelca

Smart Wires Receives Order for a Second Largescale Project with ISA Transelca

May 26, 2022

Smart Wires announced it has received a purchase order from ISA Transelca for a grid expansion project in the Atlantico region in Colombia. The project will enable an additional 300 MW of renewables to reliably connect to the grid by June 2024.

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This project will consist of Smart Wires’ technology — SmartValveTM — installations on five 220 kV circuits across ISA Transelca’s network. This project signifies Smart Wires’ second largescale project with ISA – the first will be installed later this year and includes applications of SmartValve on two circuits in Colombia’s Guajira-Cesar-Magdalena region.

“We are excited to move forward with the ISA projects and enhance our growth in Latin America,” said Smart Wires CEO Peter Wells. “We are proud to continue to support economic development, as well as to facilitate the delivery of renewable energy, in Colombia.”

“ISA Group is an industry leader in Latin America, and we look forward to our continued collaboration,” said Smart Wires Senior Vice President – Americas Jessica Joyce. “This latest project demonstrates ISA’s commitment to deliver reliable, affordable electricity to its customers, to maximize the use of its grid and to support the rapid growth of renewable energy in the region.”

Smart Wires installed an initial pilot project in Colombia with Empresas Públicas de Medellín (EPM) in 2021 to gain experience with the technology. This was followed by a large project with Grupo Energía Bogotá (GEB) which was delivered earlier this year, unlocking more than 250 MW of network capacity on the existing grid.

The use of FACTS devices (such as SmartValve) is incentivized in Colombia’s 2020-2034 Transmission Expansion Plan, published by the national planning agency (Unidad de Planeacion Minero Energetica, UPME). The national plan includes multiple FACTS projects over the coming years because this technology can affordably strengthen and optimize the use of the existing grid.

The Smart Wires Technology Ltd. regulatory release is available here.

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Smart Wires CEO Leads Discussion with Energy Leaders about GETs and Policy Shaping the Industry

Smart Wires CEO Leads Discussion with Energy Leaders about GETs and Policy Shaping the Industry

May 25, 2022

Conversation with FERC Commissioner Allison Clements kicks off day of discussions about grid enhancing technologies, the policy surrounding their integration and their role in the energy transition.

Smart Wires leaders led a day of discussions about grid enhancing technology (GET) and policies shaping the energy industry. Smart Wires CEO Peter Wells interviewed Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) Commissioner Allison Clements at DISTRIBUTECH International 2022 on May 23 in Dallas, Texas. The conversation headlined the WATT Coalition’s Grid Enhancing Technologies Summit, where numerous policy makers and technology experts also participated in panel discussions.

During their candid discussion about energy policy, Peter explained that Smart Wires’ most successful markets are in countries that have regulatory mechanisms to ensure the delivery of a reliable, low-cost network for consumers. These approaches naturally incentivize utilizes to rapidly adopt GETs. Commissioner Clements responded by saying the U.S. may need to encourage utilities with regulation and policies, but that utilities should see the benefits of GETs and pursue the lowest cost option for their customers.

Peter explained his hypothesis for the phases the grid will go through to successfully deliver the energy transition for customers.

“We see three stages of the evolution of the grid, driven by grid enhancing technologies,” he shared. “Today is mostly transactional and application focused. Services will then layer on top of applications. Finally, the grid then needs to become a seamless digital platform providing a flexible system capable of managing variability and integrating load and demand.”

This same sentiment was later echoed by Michael Pesin, Deputy Assistant Secretary for the Advanced Grid Research and Development Division in the U.S. Department of Energy’s Office of Electricity. In his remarks, he also explained the interconnectedness of markets, policy and technology, and the need to pursue integrated solutions.

Additional legislators, policymakers and energy industry leaders participated in the daylong event, which included discussions about GETs in the field, transmission policy in the U.S., and the real cost of renewable energy curtailment. Representatives from leading utilities shared their experiences with the integration of GETs on the grid. Renewable energy and electricity system experts also discussed the impact GETs have on energy affordability and our climate goals.

Throughout multiple panel discussions, participants agreed that power flow control technology, like SmartValve™, is an excellent tool for optimizing the current infrastructure and preparing the grid for the future — and that utilities need to adopt this technology now.

“We are going to have to adopt these technologies and adopt them quickly given everything we are trying to accomplish in the next five years around asset health and reliability,” said Joe Lookup, Director of Asset Management with PPL Corporation.

“It’s not only about how cheap we can get a solution but how fast we can get a solution… and GETs win on both counts,” said Pat Wood, CEO of Hunt Energy and former FERC Chair.

There was overwhelming support across all discussions regarding the value GETs can provide — for the grid and for consumers — and calls for quicker and more widespread adoption of these valuable tools.

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Smart Wires CEO to Interview FERC Commissioner Allison Clements

Smart Wires CEO to Interview FERC Commissioner Allison Clements

May 09, 2022

The discussion will focus on how regulation for US utilities can improve grid reliability and resiliency, lower costs for consumers and ultimately deliver the energy transition.

Smart Wires leaders are excited to participate in a day of discussions about Grid Enhancing Technology (GET) and policies shaping the energy industry. Smart Wires CEO Peter Wells will interview Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) Commissioner Allison Clements at DISTRIBUTECH International 2022 on May 23 in Dallas, Texas. The conversation will headline the WATT Coalition’s Grid Enhancing Technologies Summit, where numerous policy makers and technology experts will participate in panel discussions.

“I look forward to talking with Commissioner Clements about recent policy and legislative efforts to advance an equitable energy transition,” said Peter Wells. “She is a strong, intelligent leader who has a great deal of insight about the challenges that face today’s grid.”

Commissioner Clements has two decades of public and private sector experience in energy regulation and policy, representing utilities, independent power producers, developers and lenders, nonprofits and philanthropies on grid policy issues. She is the founder and president of Goodgrid, LLC, an energy policy and strategy consulting firm.

Peter Wells is an accomplished power industry executive with more than three decades of global leadership experience in energy and renewable energy, spanning projects, products and services, and manufacturing.

Several panel discussions will follow the keynote question and answer session. Topics include GETs in the field, transmission policy in the U.S., and the real cost of renewable energy curtailment.

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US Federal Government gives Smart Wires technology a boost

US Federal Government gives Smart Wires technology a boost

April 22, 2022

U.S. leaders recognize how advanced power flow control technologies, like those implemented by Smart Wires’, can save consumers money and promote clean energy. This week, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) and the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) took actions to support the widescale roll-out of grid enhancing technologies (GETs), and Smart Wires is poised to lead the way.

FERC released a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NOPR) requiring investor-owned utilities to consider such technologies as part of their traditional transmission planning process.

The DOE released a report ­– Grid-Enhancing Technologies: A Case Study on Ratepayer Impact – that shows the impact of installing GETs on today’s grid to save customers money while the grid transitions to a cleaner generation mix.

Commenting on these developments, Peter Wells, Smart Wires CEO said, “Today, U.S. utilities do not have the right incentives or mandates to facilitate the rapid and widescale adoption of grid enhancing technology. The steps taken by DOE and FERC lay the foundation to fix these issues and underscore the widespread agreement across the industry that GETs are necessary for a reliable, low-cost and clean power network.”

FERC’s NOPR is the first large-scale action taken regarding the Commission’s effort to reform or revise existing regulations to improve how regional transmission grids are planned, how costs are allocated to various stakeholders and the process by which new generation connects to the grid. Today’s transmission planning process does not require the evaluation of GETs. These changes would require electric utilities to consider the use of technologies like advanced power flow control in their annual transmission planning processes.

The DOE’s report establishes an assessment methodology for quantifying the impact of GETs on the grid and applies this to the New York grid as a case study. Power flow control was found to significantly reduce the curtailment of renewable generation — by 23-43% – avoiding nearly 200 GWh/year and savings upwards of $8 million annually for New York consumers. This case study shows that GETs can be considered alongside and instead of traditional alternatives to optimize investment, alleviate existing transmission constraints and integrate the large amounts of renewable resources seeking grid connections.

Grid enhancing technologies are hardware and software that increase the capacity, efficiency and safety of the transmission system. These technologies are installed on existing transmission infrastructure to give electric utilities and system operators more control over their grid. Smart Wires power flow control technology – SmartValveTM – controls the flow of power on a line and ensures flows are efficient and balanced. Put simply, this technology pushes power off overloaded lines or pulls power onto underutilized lines. Unlike many other grid enhancing technologies, SmartValve offers utilities a long-term planning solution that also provides real-time flexibility in the operational (short-term) timeframe.

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Smart Wires appoints energy industry leader Hêdd Roberts as General Manager, Europe

Smart Wires appoints energy industry leader Hêdd Roberts as General Manager, Europe

April 22, 2022

Smart Wires today announced it has appointed Hêdd Roberts as General Manager for the European region, effective 19 April 2022. Hêdd joins from the global utility National Grid, where he was on the electricity transmission executive team in the UK and most recently Director of Regulation.

“Europe is at the forefront of the energy transition needed for the world to reach net zero. As such, the UK, Ireland and Continental Europe have always been high priority markets,” said Smart Wires Chief Commercial Officer Michael Walsh. “We have projects across multiple European countries and the UK and have seen strong market interest and appetite. Hêdd will play a key role in helping Smart Wires continue to rapidly expand in the region.”

Hêdd brings with him a vast amount of industry experience, having worked in various leadership, commercial and engineering roles with NGET over the past two decades, covering charging and access development, investment management and customer and commercial services. Hêdd holds a BEng in Electrical and Electronics Engineering from the University of Manchester.

“We’re in a time of unprecedented change in the industry. Maximizing our existing assets and using advanced technology and analytics to get every last drop of value from what we already have, is the only way we’re going to achieve the energy transition in a timely manner,” said Hêdd. “I’ve seen first-hand the impact Smart Wires’ technology is having on the global electricity grid and am eager to help drive expansion and adoption across the European region.”

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Power flow control featured in Senator Markey’s newly introduced comprehensive grid legislation

Power flow control featured in Senator Markey’s newly introduced comprehensive grid legislation

March 18, 2022

The CHARGE Act supports the efficient delivery of electric infrastructure to accelerate the energy transition, lower costs for consumers and improve grid reliability and resilience across the U.S.

Senator Edward Markey (D-MA) introduced the Connecting Hard-to-reach Areas with Renewably Generated Energy (CHARGE) Act yesterday.

This bill seeks to accelerate a clean energy transition by supporting planning, transparency, competition and effective oversight of transmission networks. The CHARGE Act establishes reforms through FERC (Federal Energy Regulatory Commission) regulations or amendments to the Federal Power Act to ensure the United States can proactively plan and build a 21st century electric grid.

The CHARGE Act calls on FERC to establish a transmission planning and cost-allocation process that ensures transmission providers include “the use of grid-enhancing transmission technologies and non-transmission alternatives that increase delivery of power over transmission networks, including at a minimum (1) dynamic line rating; (2) topology optimization; (3) power flow control; (4) advanced conductors and; (5) storage-as-transmission.”

The CHARGE Act undertakes across-the-board reforms to establish forward-looking transmission planning to lower prices and improve reliability, improve data transparency to reduce emissions, increase competition to spur innovation and lower prices and strengthen oversight to ensure equity and efficiency. 

“It’s incredibly exciting to see the grid finally get much-needed time in the spotlight,” said Jessica Joyce, Smart Wires Senior Vice President, Americas. “The CHARGE Act makes sure we’re not only able to build new infrastructure, but that we’re getting the most out of today’s grid as well.”

This legislation builds on momentum from President Biden’s Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act which authorized $3 billion in funding for Smart Grid Investment Grants, specifically including power flow control projects as eligible to receive funding.

Last year, Representative Kathy Castor also introduced the Efficient Grid Interconnection Act which would ensure grid-enhancing technologies like power flow control were included in interconnection studies, since these solutions can reduce the cost and time needed to connect new renewable generation to the grid.

Smart Wires’ power flow control technology – SmartValveTM – advances the delivery of affordable, clean energy. SmartValve works by intelligently controlling the flows of power across the network, in real-time. It pushes power off overloaded lines and pulls power on to underutilized lines; balancing power flows evenly across multiple lines. 

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VELCO, Pine Gate Renewables and Invenergy join WATT Coalition

VELCO, Pine Gate Renewables and Invenergy join WATT Coalition

March 11, 2022

Washington, D.C. – Today the Working for Advanced Transmission Technologies (WATT) Coalition announced its official incorporation as a 501c6 trade association. Three new members joined the coalition: VELCO, Pine Gate Renewables and Invenergy, marking WATT’s expansion to include all participants from the electricity industry who would benefit from more efficient and effective use of the existing grid.  

WATT members include its original six members from its start as an ad hoc coalition beginning in the fall of 2017: Ampacimon, LineVision, Lindsey Systems, NewGrid, Smart Wires, and WindSim Power, and since then has been joined by EDF Renewables North America and Heimdall Power, in addition to the members announced today. For examples of GETs applications, see: https://watt-transmission.org/what-are-grid-enhancing-technologies/ 

The Working for Advanced Transmission Technologies (WATT) Coalition advocates for policy that supports wide deployment of Grid-Enhancing Technologies (GETs), to accelerate the clean energy transition and lower energy costs. Dynamic Line Ratings determine the true, real-time capacity of power lines. Advanced Power Flow Control allows operators to reroute power to lines with available capacity. Topology Optimization identifies the best grid reconfigurations to reroute flow around bottlenecks. In operations, these technologies reduce congestion costs and improve economic dispatch, situational awareness and reliability. In planning, they reduce the time, cost and complexity of integrating new generation and load.  

In 2021, years of demonstration and education led to federal action to align incentives for transmission owners to use GETs, and to fund early deployments. The most significant actions are listed below. On May 23, 2022 the WATT Coalition will host its first Grid Enhancing Technologies Summit in Dallas, Texas. 

WATT Coalition Chair Ted Bloch-Rubin said “We’ve reached a turning point in the energy transition, where stakeholders across the electricity industry realize we need to use our existing infrastructure more efficiently to accelerate the pace of transformation. The WATT Coalition’s growth will help develop and implement the best policy solutions to more fully utilize America’s grid infrastructure.” 

“Policymakers understand the value of Grid-Enhancing Technologies and are working to get these technologies deployed across the country,” said Rob Gramlich, Executive Director of the WATT Coalition. “Dynamic line ratings, advanced power flow control, and topology optimization are all proven technologies with deployments around the world – with the incentives and regulatory barriers corrected, the United States will catch up soon.” 

Congressional and Federal Agency Action on GETs: 

  • In February 2021, The WATT Coalition released its landmark study of the impacts of GETs on renewable energy integration: Unlocking the Queue with Grid Enhancing Technologies. 
  • In June 2021, Chair Kathy Castor of the Select Committee on the Climate Crisis introduced legislation that would ensure that GETs were included in interconnection studies, because GETs can reduce the cost and time needed to connect new renewable generation to the grid. 
  • In July 2021, FERC announced an Advanced Notice of Proposed Rulemaking related to transmission planning, cost allocation and generator interconnection. Over 90 entities submitted comments supporting the inclusion of Grid Enhancing Technologies in at least one of those processes. 
  • In September 2021, FERC held a technical conference on a shared savings incentive for GETs. Splitting cost-savings from a GETs deployment between ratepayers and cost-of-service regulated transmission owners would support GETs deployments where they add value.  
  • In November 2021, President Biden signed the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act into law, authorizing $3 billion in funding for Smart Grid Investment Grants (SGIGs) and modifying the SGIG language to specifically include DLR, topology optimization, and power flow control. SGIGs would cover up to half the cost of a GETs installation. 
  • In December 2021, FERC announced a new docket on Dynamic Line Ratings as well as Order 881, which mandated Ambient Adjusted Line Ratings and required RTOs and ISOs to accept at least hourly dynamic line ratings in FERC’s first move to modernize line-rating methodologies to increase grid capacity. 

Comments by clean energy industry leaders in support of the WATT Coalition’s incorporation: 

Jeff Dennis, Managing Director and General Counsel, Advanced Energy Economy (AEE) 

“To achieve a 100% clean electricity grid and electrify the nation’s transportation, buildings, and industry, we need a modern, smart, and efficient electricity delivery network. Deploying advanced transmission technologies to increase the capacity of our existing grid and optimize the buildout and operation of the grid of the future is foundational to grid modernization. We look forward to continuing to work with the WATT Coalition in this next phase of its growth as FERC, DOE, and states all emphasize increasing the capacity and efficiency of the grid to support the accelerated development of advanced energy.” 

Gregory Wetstone, CEO, American Council on Renewable Energy (ACORE): 

“Accelerating our transition to a renewable energy economy necessitates significant investment in our nation’s antiquated transmission infrastructure. Grid enhancing technologies will play a major role in our efforts to upgrade the power grid by increasing the capacity and reliability of transmission. ACORE is proud to work with the WATT Coalition to advocate for policy solutions that increase the adoption of these crucial technologies.” 

Gizelle Wray, Senior Director of Regulatory Affairs, Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA): 

“The U.S. electricity mix is changing faster than our grid infrastructure can accommodate, and that’s holding back our clean energy transition. Smart policy moves can help us modernize the grid and invest in new technologies that can quickly and cost effectively deploy more solar and storage projects. We look forward to continuing our work with the WATT Coalition as we tackle some of the biggest challenges ahead in the Solar+ Decade.” 

John Moore, Director, Sustainable FERC Project: 

“Advanced grid technologies are truly the low-hanging fruit that can dramatically improve the operation of our power grid. Policy needs to catch up with the science and technology, and the WATT Coalition will be critical to making a more reliable and efficient grid a reality.”   

Lisa Jacobson, President, Business Council for Sustainable Energy (BCSE): 

“Optimizing our existing transmission grid infrastructure to utilize its full capacity will prevent unnecessary costs and investment, leading to lower prices for consumers and faster deployment of new clean energy resources. BCSE is glad to see so much action to advance the use of Grid Enhancing Technologies, and looks forward to working with the growing WATT Coalition.” 

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Grupo Energia Bogota Improves Supply of Electricity In Caribbean Region And Unlocks 252 Mw Capacity Using Transformational Technology

Grupo Energia Bogota Improves Supply of Electricity In Caribbean Region And Unlocks 252 Mw Capacity Using Transformational Technology

March 10, 2022

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Grupo Energía Bogotá (GEB) is improving the supply of reliable, affordable electricity to Colombian consumers by using SmartValve™ technology in the Caribbean region of their network. This marks the second installation of SmartValve in Colombia, with more projects to be delivered in 2022 to further strengthen the national transmission network.

This project at the Termocandelaria substation in Cartagena uses modular power flow control technology, SmartValve, to alleviate inter-regional congestion and unlock 252 MW of new capacity for generation on the existing network.

SmartValve intelligently controls the flow of power across transmission lines, and ensure flows are efficient and balanced across the region. Put simply, SmartValve pushes power off overloaded lines or pulls power on to underutilized lines.

By using the network more efficiently, SmartValve releases new interconnection capacity for the Termocandelaria power plant on the existing network. This new released capacity provides greater availability of energy to meet demand and improves reliability of supply, alleviating dispatch restrictions and supporting economic development in the region.

“With the implementation of these innovative devices, the Group contributes to the country’s energy security. In addition, among their functional advantages, SmartValves offer wide environmental and economic benefits, as they provide solutions to different needs in the short, medium, and long term for the country, since they reduce the obligation to carry out new transmission projects, such as lines and substations, to adequately dispatch the energy generated”, said Fredy Zuleta, General Manager of Transmission of Grupo Energía Bogotá.

“We are instead using SmartValve technology to redistribute power flows across our lines and get more from our existing grid. This technology is a timely and cost-effective way to increase the capacity on this part of our network, without disrupting local communities and the environment,” he said.

“We are delighted to collaborate with GEB on this pivotal project which is unlocking significant capacity and strengthening supply of reliable affordable electricity to consumers across the Caribbean region,”

Joaquin Peirano

Commercial Manager - Latin America

Joaquin Peirano, Commercial Manager – Latin America at Smart Wires, said “Transmission owners in Colombia are advancing progress towards net zero by using modular power flow control technology to future proof the grid.”

“We are delighted to collaborate with GEB on this pivotal project which is unlocking significant capacity and strengthening supply of reliable affordable electricity to consumers across the Caribbean region,” he said.

“This work shows GEB’s commitment to improve the lives of people in every corner of Colombia with sustainable and competitive energy.”

“Colombia has become a global leader in leveraging technology to enable a cleaner, greener future. GEB’s project follows a successful initial installation by Empresas Publicas de Medellin (EPM) last year. Further SmartValve projects will be delivered later in 2022 by other transmission owners across the country providing additional capacity for renewables connecting across the grid.”

The use of FACTS devices (such as SmartValve) is incentivized in Colombia’s 2020-2034 Transmission Expansion Plan, published by the national planning agency (Unidad de Planeacion Minero Energetica, UPME). Given the value of this technology to cost-effectively strengthen and optimize the use of the existing grid, the national plan includes multiple FACTS projects over the coming years.

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