RWE Offshore Wind and Smart Wires sign MOU to explore projects that accelerate the pace of offshore wind connections

RWE Offshore Wind and Smart Wires sign MOU to explore projects that accelerate the pace of offshore wind connections

February 20, 2024

RWE Offshore wind (RWE), a global leading player in offshore wind, and Smart Wires, global grid enhancing technologies and services provider, have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to collaborate on investigating the use of advanced power flow control technology, SmartValve™, on long High Voltage Alternating Current and Direct Current (HVAC or HVDC) cable circuits to support offshore generation connections. The investigation will focus on acceleration and minimization of the need for additional onshore and offshore grid infrastructure.

Renewable energy generation projects often need significant grid upgrades or new infrastructure before they can be connected, in order to reliably transport the electricity from the generation site to demand centres. Such grid projects involve high capital costs, take many years to permit and build, and have a high risk of significant delays and cost overruns. These challenges are further heightened for offshore generation connections that must be seamlessly integrated with the onshore meshed transmission network and often require new offshore grid to be built.

Grid enhancing technologies such as Smart Wires’ advanced power flow control—SmartValve™—provide the potential to quickly and cost-effectively increase transmission capacity, improve stability margins and reduce lead times for some key equipment both onshore and offshore. In addition to unlocking capacity by redirecting power flows to push power off overloaded circuits or pulling power onto underutilized circuits, the investigation will also focus on the capability of SmartValve™ for offshore cable management and power regulation.   

RWE and Smart Wires have entered into a MOU to explore the potential use of SmartValve within RWE’s offshore wind development projects. This will enable the companies to work together to investigate the capabilities of advanced power flow control technology to support integration of offshore wind generation using either AC or DC technology.

Dirk Döring, Chief Engineer Electrical Control & Instrumentation at RWE Offshore Wind said: “RWE is engaged in the development, design and construction of large and complex offshore wind farms and transmission infrastructure and the use of innovative technologies, such as advanced power flow control, has the potential to offer significant benefits. Therefore we are happy to join with Smart Wires to explore the use of their SmartValve technology in real life development applications.”

“We’re delighted to collaborate with leading renewable developers like RWE who are committed to finding ways to quickly and cost-effectively connect offshore wind,” said Mark Norton, VP Business Development at Smart Wires. “It’s exciting to kick off this work which will demonstrate the unique capabilities of APFC technology to make the connection of offshore grids more timely, efficient and reduce the offshore infrastructure needed. We look forward to this work driving many successful projects that use APFC technology in this new application area,” he said.  

SmartValves are deployed by leading utilities in Europe, the US, Latin America, and Australia, delivering over 3.5 GWs of extra capacity and over one billion in cost savings to customers. SmartValve™ is a patented, single-phase modular Static Synchronous Series Compensator (SSSC) that injects a voltage in quadrature with the line current to synthesize a capacitive or inductive reactance, meaning it can push power off overloaded lines or pull power onto underutilized. It also provides a range of dynamic services including improving voltage stability and transient stability, which deliver additional benefits to the grid operator.

RWE is one of the world’s largest offshore wind companies with a more than 20-years track record of developing, building, and operating offshore wind projects efficiently. The company currently operates 19 offshore wind farms. Two wind farms are currently under construction in Europe and further offshore projects are under development worldwide. RWE plans to grow its global offshore wind capacity from 3.3 GW today to 10 GW in 2030.

For more information

Grace McLoughlin
Manager, Global Marketing & Communications
Smart Wires Inc.
Grace.McLoughlin@smartwires.com  

Sarah Knauber
Media Relations
RWE Offshore Wind GmbH
Sarah.Knauber@rwe.com 

About Smart Wires

Smart Wires is the world’s leading grid enhancing technology and services provider. We quickly solve bottlenecks and grid issues to create extra capacity and provide advice on the policies, market design and solutions critical to creating the digital grid. Headquartered in Research Triangle Park, North Carolina, Smart Wires has a global workforce of visionary, tenacious industry-leading experts spread across four continents. Together we are paving the way to energy certainty, on a global scale. Working with our customers, industry partners, policymakers and regulators, we are transforming the grid into a digital, secure and accessible platform capable of delivering net zero, new business models, jobs and prosperity.

www.smartwires.com

About RWE

RWE is leading the way to a green energy world. With its investment and growth strategy Growing Green, RWE is contributing significantly to the success of the energy transition and the decarbonisation of the energy system. Around 20,000 employees work for the company in almost 30 countries worldwide. RWE is already one of the leading companies in the field of renewable energy. Between 2024 and 2030, RWE will invest 55 billion euros worldwide in offshore and onshore wind, solar energy, batteries, flexible generation, and hydrogen projects. By the end of the decade, the company’s green portfolio will grow to more than 65 gigawatts of generation capacity, which will be perfectly complemented by global energy trading. RWE is decarbonising its business in line with the 1.5-degree reduction pathway and will phase out coal by 2030. RWE will be net-zero by 2040. Fully in line with the company’s purpose – Our energy for a sustainable life.

www.rwe.com

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Advanced Power Flow Control and Dynamic Line Rating software included in projects selected to receive DOE funding

Advanced Power Flow Control and Dynamic Line Rating software included in projects selected to receive DOE funding

November 20, 2023

The US Department of Energy has announced that four projects have been selected for funding to deploy grid enhancing technologies (GETs) that will improve grid reliability, optimize existing grid infrastructure, and support connection of renewable energy. The GETs that will be primarily used are Advanced Power Flow Control (APFC) such as SmartValve, Dynamic Line Ratings (DLR) and Digital Twin technologies.

Grid enhancing technologies have gained increasingly more recognition in the US over the past few years, especially in terms of their role in enabling better use of the existing grid. So much so that the Department of Energy (DOE) launched a Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) in February specifically for accelerating the deployment of GETs. The recipients of this funding were announced by the DOE on 13 November for four projects that will use APFC, DLR and Digital Twin technologies. The US Department of Energy’s official release is available here.

These projects will deploy these GETs in multiple states across the US, aiming to optimize infrastructure in existing rights of way, while also facilitating renewable resource interconnection and market access by improving the reliability and efficiency of power transfer. Some of the projects will combine different GETs to harness the powerful synergies that exist when used together. For example, DLR identifies spare capacity above the static line limits, and APFC redirects power flows to utilize this available capacity and provide other dynamic services.

“There’s no one ‘fix all’ solution to delivering on a net zero grid so it’s great to see projects like these that involve multiple GETs as part of the same project. This will show how these technologies can work together to deliver operational benefits and cost savings for utilities and ultimately lower costs for consumers,”

Ted Bloch-Rubin, Director of Business Development, Americas at Smart Wires

Smart Wires also offers SUMO, a state-of-the-art dynamic line rating software developed by a Transmission System Operator, that provides system-wide dynamic ratings to identify spare grid capacity above static limits. Powerful synergies exist when DLR such as SUMO is combined with APFC such as SmartValve, providing  multiplier effect which enables much more renewable energy to flow on the existing grid infrastructure, improves resiliency, and solves many other critical grid challenges. 

The projects will be delivered in 2024.

Selection for award negotiations is not a commitment by DOE to issue an award or provide funding. Before funding is issued, DOE and the applicants will undergo a negotiation process, and DOE may cancel negotiations and rescind the selection for any reason during that time.

About Smart Wires

Smart Wires is the world’s leading grid enhancing technology and services provider. We quickly solve bottlenecks and grid issues to create extra capacity and provide advice on the policies, market design and solutions critical to creating the digital grid. Headquartered in Research Triangle Park, North Carolina, Smart Wires has a global workforce of visionary, tenacious industry-leading experts spread across four continents. Together we are paving the way to energy certainty, on a global scale. Working with our customers, industry partners, policymakers and regulators, we are transforming the grid into a digital, secure and accessible platform capable of delivering net zero, new business models, jobs and prosperity.

The US Department of Energy recently announced the second round funding opportunity under the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law’s Grid Resilience and Innovation Partnerships Program, calling for project concept paper submissions by January 2024. If you are interested in collaborating with Smart Wires on a submission, please reach out to Ted Bloch-Rubin at ted.blochrubin@smartwires.com.

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Smart Wires collaborates with ISA TRANSELCA to unlock 200 MW of capacity for renewable energy in Colombia

Smart Wires collaborates with ISA TRANSELCA to unlock 200 MW of capacity for renewable energy in Colombia

November 8, 2023

Smart Wires today announced the completion of a large-scale project in Colombia which uses SmartValve™, the leading modular power flow control technology, to unlock over 200 MW of grid capacity for clean energy connections this year. ISA TRANSELCA commissioned this project earlier this year and will expand their use of SmartValves in 2024 to allow for further renewable development in the north of the country.

The Guajira – Cesar – Magdalena (GCM) region in northern Colombia is expected to see a significant increase in renewable energy generation in the coming years, putting strain on the existing transmission grid. In 2021, the national planning agency, UPME, identified a need to address grid congestion on 220 kV circuits to support reliable connection of renewables, and SmartValve was selected as the preferred technology. ISA TRANSELCA deployed SmartValves across two circuits to push power off overloaded lines under N-1 conditions, ensuring that the region’s increasing level of renewable energy resources can be reliably connected to the grid from 2023 onwards.

“In this project ISA TRANSELCA are using SmartValves to unlock over 200 MW of capacity for renewables this year. They will then relocate a portion of the SmartValves deployment to an additional location to further unlock another 500 MW of capacity in 2024. ISA TRANSELCA have been an excellent partner to work with and we look forward to continuing to collaborate on many more projects in the future, including the Atlantico project which will be delivered next year.”

Joaquin Peirano, General Manager, Americas

SmartValve is a modular power flow control technology that quickly solves bottlenecks and grid issues to create extra capacity. It is a patented, award-winning, single-phase modular SSSC that injects a voltage in quadrature with the line current to essentially push power off overloaded lines or pull power onto underutilized lines. SmartValve eliminates many disadvantages of previous power flow control devices, providing a flexible and scalable technology with multiple network applications. Alternate network options that were evaluated by UPME for this project were more costly, took longer to install, disruptive to communities and didn’t provide flexibility to be quickly adapted over time to meet changing needs of grid.

This project brings the total additional grid capacity provided by SmartValves to over 850 MW in Colombia alone. There are multiple additional SmartValve projects approved in Colombia’s 2020-2034 Transmission Expansion Plan over the coming years with ISA TRANSELCA and other transmission owners. Several other subsidiaries of the ISA Group are also actively collaborating with ISA TRANSELCA and Smart Wires to analyze use cases for this technology on their grids across Latin America.

About Smart Wires

Smart Wires is the world’s leading grid enhancing technology and services provider. We quickly solve bottlenecks and grid issues to create extra capacity and provide advice on the policies, market design and solutions critical to creating the digital grid. Headquartered in Research Triangle Park, North Carolina, Smart Wires has a global workforce of visionary, tenacious industry-leading experts spread across four continents. Together we are paving the way to energy certainty, on a global scale. Working with our customers, industry partners, policymakers and regulators, we are transforming the grid into a digital, secure and accessible platform capable of delivering net zero, new business models, jobs and prosperity.

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CO-COST Project: Resolving congestion to support reliable connection of renewables in La Guajira

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Smart Wires technology selected for two new projects under the DOE’s GRIP program

Smart Wires technology selected for two new projects under the DOE’s GRIP program

October 19, 2023

Smart Wires today announced that its advanced power flow control technology—SmartValve™— in two projects funded under the U.S. Department of Energy’s Grid Resilience and Innovation Partnerships (GRIP) program, per the DOE’s official announcement on 18 October. SmartValve will enhance grid flexibility and the resilience of the power system in Texas and Vermont, in projects led by Algonquin Power Fund America Inc. and EPRI respectively.

In Texas, Algonquin Power Fund America Inc. is leading a project that will increase transmission capacity of the existing grid by approximately 300 MW and resolve stability issues by rerouting power flows with SmartValves. This will reduce curtailment of clean energy, support development of new generation sites, improve access to clean affordable electricity for consumers, and mitigate climate impact risks.

EPRI will lead a project which deploys SmartValves at interregional tie lines between New York and Vermont to improve operational flexibility and systematically increase regional transfer capacity for renewable generation. This project also includes a series of power system studies to evaluate the broader system impact of wide-scale national use of Smart Wires’ technology.

“We are delighted to partner with forward-thinking utilities, generation developers, and a premier research institution like EPRI on these exciting new projects for the U.S. market,” said Joanna Lohkamp, CEO at Smart Wires.

“Funding programs like GRIP, combined with recent regulatory changes, are paving the way forward for wide-scale use of grid enhancing technologies in the U.S. to enable a net zero grid and ultimately bring clean energy to all” she said.

The GRIP program was established under the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law to investment in projects that enhance grid flexibility, improve the resilience of the power system against growing threats of extreme weather and climate change, and ensure American communities have access to affordable, reliable, clean electricity when and where they need it.

SmartValve is deployed by multiple utilities around the world, delivering 3.5 gigawatts of extra capacity on existing grids while enabling over $1.6 billion of savings to consumers.

More details on these and other projects announced by the DOE are available at: https://www.energy.gov/gdo/grid-resilience-and-innovation-partnerships-grip-program-projects. Specifically, there are project factsheets on the Algonquin Power Fund America Inc. led project here and on the EPRI led project here.

About the GRIP program

On October 18, 2023, the U.S. Department of Energy announced up to $3.5 billion in Grid Resilience and Innovation Partnerships (GRIP) Program investments for 58 projects across 44 states to strengthen electric grid resilience and reliability across America.

Selection for award negotiations is not a commitment by DOE to issue an award or provide funding. Before funding is issued, DOE and the applicants will undergo a negotiation process, and DOE may cancel negotiations and rescind the selection for any reason during that time. 

Learn more about the Grid Deployment Office and the GRIP Program.

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New project to develop an advanced software tool for enhanced outage management

New project to develop an advanced software tool for enhanced outage management

September 14, 2023

Smart Wires today announced a new project focused on developing advanced software that will identify the optimal use of mobile power flow control technology to support transmission system outage management. It will be funded through the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority’s (NYSERDA’s) Electric Power Transmission and Distribution Future Grid Challenges program for projects that promote grid modernization and enhance electric grid performance.

The global transition to a completely decarbonized grid, alongside the increasing frequency of extreme weather events and aging energy infrastructure, places huge pressure on power systems worldwide. There’s no doubt that modernizing existing infrastructure and increasing transmission capacity is critical to achieving a net zero grid, but transmission projects are often hindered by lengthy delays. This is primarily due to the complex asset outage schemes required to commission new lines and grid equipment and maintain existing infrastructure. These outages temporarily render areas of the network unavailable and consequently reduce overall system capacity, often driving up costs for consumers.

However, grid enhancing technologies such as modular power flow control (MPFC) technology can alleviate grid congestion while improving grid reliability, particularly during outages, thereby facilitating faster and more effective project completion. This NYSERDA-funded project aims to develop a software plug-in designed to identify the optimal locations for such MPFC deployments. These deployments can be quickly installed and relocated between sites, enabling the system operator to use them to address critical short-term network needs that can occur during both scheduled and unplanned outages.

The plug-in will be developed using a New York Transmission Owner’s existing outage management program as an example case. The software development will aim to account for various factors, including seasonal dispatch patterns, substation site feasibility, and different outage conditions to optimize a solution that aligns with the user’s specific criteria. 

  “We are delighted to lead this exciting project which has the potential to identify new opportunities for outage management in the State and further afield,” said Joaquin Peirano, General Manager, Americas at Smart Wires. “With the advanced software tools that will be developed under this project, utilities will be able to optimize the location of mobile MPFC deployments to support greater grid utilization even when part of the network is out-of-service.”

The mobile MPFC devices that the plug-in is primarily intended for are modular static synchronous series compensators (M-SSSCs) that inject a voltage in quadrature with the line current to synthesize a capacitive or inductive reactance. This means the devices can push power off overloaded lines or pull power onto underutilized lines to resolve thermal constraints and other grid issues, unlocking capacity on the existing grid.

The opinions expressed here do not necessarily reflect those of NYSERDA or the State of New York.

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Smart Wires announces new project to strengthen supply of electricity in Central America

Smart Wires announces new project to strengthen supply of electricity in Central America

August 24, 2023

Español disponible

Raleigh, NC – Smart Wires has today announced a new project that uses modular power flow control technology—SmartValve™—to resolve grid congestion and strengthen security of supply in an area of Central America. The project will start delivering benefits to the system operator, consumers, businesses, and electricity market participants in 2024.

Increasing demand for clean, reliable, affordable electricity is putting pressure on the existing grid in many countries in Central America. This challenge is further heightened as the region moves to decrease dependency on fossil fuels by developing renewable energy projects in new locations, to replace the generation provided by existing power plants. This results in huge shifts in power flow patterns across the grid, creating bottlenecks which can limit the flow of electricity even when spare capacity exists.

In one case, overloads on several transmission circuits were projected to limit power flows nationally and across the interconnected power grids of the six countries in Central America (SIEPAC). Multiple network reinforcement options were considered but ultimately modular power flow control technology—SmartValve—was selected as the optimal solution as it can quickly and cost-effectively resolve overloads to unlock capacity on the existing grid and strengthen security of supply.

“We are delighted to announce this exciting new project in Central America which will enable greater power flows across the region,” said Jessica Joyce, Smart Wires Chief Commercial Officer. “It builds on the strong global momentum of utilities using modular power flow control to get the most out of their transmission systems and ultimately transform their grids.”

SmartValve paves the way forward for series–connected FACTS (Flexible Alternating Current Transmission Systems) by providing a modular, digital, and future-proofed technology. It is already used by system operators across the world—including Australia, Europe, the U.S. and Colombia—but this project marks the first series-connected FACTS deployment in Central America.

The project will be completed in 2024.

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Accelerating the connection of wind power in New York State with modular power flow control

Accelerating the connection of wind power in New York State with modular power flow control

June 15, 2023

Smart Wires today announced results from a network study which validates the capabilities of modular power flow control to accelerate the integration of renewable energy across the state. The study focused on generation pockets with high curtailment and demonstrated that this technology can potentially deliver 300 additional megawatts (MW) of extra capacity and provide an estimated $576 M avoided curtailment savings over 15 years, with distributed deployments across five circuits. The study was completed with project partners Right Analytics, and it was funded through the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority’s (NYSERDA’s) High Performing Grid program for projects that promote grid modernization and enhance electric grid performance.

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The electric power system of New York State is undergoing a phase of transition from a fossil fuel powered grid to a clean, renewable-powered system. The state’s Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act (CLCPA) calls for 100% emissions-free electricity sector by 2040; and 70% renewable energy by 2030, which is driving the modernization of the electric grid. Grid enhancing technologies that optimize use of the existing grid can accelerate the integration of renewable energy, and thus have a critical role to play in this transition.

With most of the wind generation projects in the existing interconnection queue due to connect by 2025, this study is timely. The comprehensive study conducted involved assessing the wind generation queue and its impact on the grid, developing modular power flow control solutions to resolve congestion, and completing an economic assessment.

The areas of the grid with the highest forecast congestion were identified, and several locations were selected as the optimal siting for modular power flow control technology (MPFC). Multiple scenarios were considered in the analysis to account for a variety of future network needs. The results showed that with a few deployments, modular power flow control can unlock over 300 MW of spare capacity on the existing grid to support the on-time integration of renewables currently in the queue.

“This study is a great example of how collaboration between R&D, utilities and industry can help advance grid modernization efforts by validating the potential of digital grid technologies to fast track the connection of renewables and deliver real benefits to consumers in the near-term,” said Joaquin Peirano, General Manager – Americas at Smart Wires. “SmartValve™ harnesses the power of silicon and software to pave the way forward for power flow control technologies, solving critical grid challenges by using the existing grid more efficiently.”

Delivering this capacity on time provides greater access to clean, reliable affordable electricity to consumers across the state with potential cost savings of $576 million is due to the avoided curtailment of wind generation from the use of MPFC to balance power flows across circuits. This cost savings figure was calculated for a 15-year period for the purpose of this study, but MPFC devices have a significantly longer asset lifetime in practice. Further cost savings are anticipated due to the reduced production and CO2 costs associated with a higher share of renewables in the energy mix. The MPFC deployments could also support more efficient use of new or upgraded infrastructure by providing greater control of power flows to the system operators.

“This project perfectly showcases the “operational benefits” and “economic values” of grid enhancing technologies in modernized power systems with high penetration of renewables” said Saman Babaei, Director of Power Systems at Right Analytics LLC.

The study results provide a sample of what is possible to achieve both in the state and further afield using modular power flow control to solve critical grid challenges. This move toward a modular, digital power flow control offering eliminates many disadvantages of previous PFC devices such as the requirement for a large amount of substation space and works, long delivery and installation times, complex permitting, and the lack of flexibility to adapt or relocate the solution over time. It provides a flexible and scalable technology with high reliability, faster delivery and installation, with multiple network applications.

The opinions expressed here do not necessarily reflect those of NYSERDA or the State of New York.

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TransnetBW, Smart Wires and network planning software providers pave the way for modelling of modular power flow control technology

TransnetBW, Smart Wires and network planning software providers pave the way for modelling of modular power flow control technology

June 1, 2023

TransnetBW, technology provider Smart Wires, and research institution FGH have jointly developed a Static Synchronous Series Compensator (SSSC) model for the INTEGRAL network planning software. The SSSC model is also available in DIgSILENT’s network planning software PowerFactory and in the European standard data format CIM (Common Information Model). As a result, transmission and distribution system operators across the world can now easily model SSSCs as part of their network planning.

Power flow control devices, such as modular SSSCs, are a possible alternative solution to make better use of available transmission capacity on existing lines rather than favoring grid expansion. In Germany this is known as the NOVA principle (grid optimization first, before reinforcement before expansion). However, often these technologies cannot be adequately considered in the initial phases of network planning simply because models are not readily available in every network planning software.


TransnetBW identified the potential of SSSCs for network planning at an early stage, however there was no SSSC model available in the INTEGRAL and PowerFactory planning software they use. Together with Smart Wires, TransnetBW developed a SSSC model that is now available to all users of INTEGRAL and PowerFactory.


This outcome is part of the digital transformation within TransnetBW and builds on previously published work which includes Untersuchung der Interoperabilität verschiedener Netzplanungswerkzeuge(Florez, et al., EnInnov2022), and Development of a generic SSSC model in PowerFactory. Convergence between IT and OT practices (Florez, et al., WIW2022).


The new SSSC model in INTEGRAL is one of several initiatives to make models for grid enhancing technologies more widely available to system operators. A recent project led by the industry association currENT, brought together several technology providers, research institutions, and consultants, to develop standardized models for technologies, including modular SSSCs using CIM practices (Common Information Model).


The joint efforts of TransnetBW, Smart Wires, FGH, DIgSILENT and currENT shows the progress that can be made when stakeholders from across industry work together with the same goal of creating a digital power grid capable of support climate neutrality.

Figure 9. CIM extensions for mapping SSSC controllers

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