Greentech Lead America: S&C Electric Co., a provider
of electric power systems equipment, has bagged a deal to provide smart grid
technology for Electricite de France SA to smooth electricity supply from its
Scottish wind park.
As per the agreement, S&C Electric Company Europe
will supply a system that controls voltage from the 144 MW Fallago Rig farm
developed by EDF’s U.K. renewables unit.
Wind farms, promoted by nations including the U.K.,
Germany and France, produce more variable supplies of electricity than
traditional fossil fuel plants, according to Bloomberg report.
Smart grid technology can help integrate wind power to
the grid by controlling voltage, preventing outages and intermittency as demand
surges. Smarter electricity networks are essential to transition to a
low-carbon economy, according to Energy Minister Charles Hendry.
Connecting new generation such as the 48-turbine Fallago
Rig project to the network in a way that maintains reliability but also keeps
electricity affordable poses a challenge for the electricity system, Hendry
said. The Fallago Rig project in the Scottish Borders could power 90,000 homes
when built, according to the statement.
Britain could generate 13 billion pounds ($21 billion)
for its economy by upgrading its power network with smart grid technology by
2050, according to a report published this month by consultancy company Ernst
& Young LLP.
National Grid, the manager of Britain’s power network,
requires that wind farms have continuous voltage regulation to be linked to the
grid to ensure power is delivered efficiently.
S&C Electric Company expands manufacturing capacity for
Smart Grid
S&C Electric Company, a smart grid solutions
provider, is planning to double the manufacturing capacities of its power
quality products, which include energy storage integration solutions, reactive
compensation systems by expanding its engineering and production facilities in
Franklin, Wis.
The expansion will allow S&C to support demand for
solutions to a range of challenges facing today’s power grids. The facility is
expected to open on August 1st.
“S&C’s power quality products are used to
implement the latest smart grid technology which improves the reliability,
capacity, and efficiency of electric power grids. This is of heightened
importance as communities worldwide work to integrate disruptive new technologies
like renewable energy sources and electric vehicles to the grid,” said Jim
Sember, vice president, Power Quality Products, S&C.