Smart Grid Gotland will involve Ventyx deploying a comprehensive Distribution System Optimisation solution encompassing network control, demand response management, demand forecasting and business analytics to support wind turbines on the island of Gotland, the largest island in the Baltic Sea. This will enable large quantities of renewable energy and distributed energy sources to be integrated into the grid while maintaining reliability and improving performance.
Ventyx is working with several partners on the project besides GEAB and is 75 percent owned by Vattenfall, which is also involved in the Smart Grid Gotland project alongside Svenska Kraftnät, Schneider Electric and KTH. Smart Grid Gotland was initiated in response to the EU’s climate change target to reduce carbon emissions by 20 per cent by 2020 and is part financed by the Swedish Energy Agency. It was initiated in September 2012 and will run to December 2015.
The overall objectives of the project are to increase the hosting capacity for wind power in an existing distribution system in a cost effective manner; to demonstrate that novel technology can improve the power quality in a rural grid with large quantities of installed wind power and finally to create possibilities for demand-side participation in the electricity market, in order to shift load from peak load hours to peak production hours.
Sweden is aiming to increase its renewable energy resources mainly through wind power and the Smart Grid Gotland is a pilot project which could see the various solutions and technologies involved in the project transferred to the mainland if it is successful. The Distribution Management System (DMS) deployed by Ventyx will address bottlenecks in the distribution network that may restrict the flow of energy from the wind turbines to consumers.
“Wind power is produced out in the distribution grid and, like solar energy, is highly variable, presenting challenges when it comes to power quality, surveillance and control of the grid” said Veijo Huusko, Head of R&D Portfolio Management, Vattenfall Nordic. “Using industry-leading network management software from Ventyx to create a more intelligent and efficient grid, we can increase the use of renewable energy sources, improve power quality and create added cost-savings for customers over conventional grid technology.”
Ventyx Network Manager SCADA systems will support one of Gotland’s substations and its associated network. It will manage daily operations and help to reduce the duration and frequency of outages through the use of smart meters and other equipment in the field. A business analytics solution will analyse data from the SCADA/DMS/OMS system, and potentially other sources, to help boost operational efficiency and reliability while reducing costs.
“It is a significant step forward in the development of a modern, sustainable society with the potential for it to serve as an international model for intelligent electricity networks” said Jens Birgersson, head of the Network Management business at ABB, which acquired Ventyx in 2010.
Ventyx is an ABB company which specialises in the supply of Industrial Enterprise Software for essential industries such as energy, mining and public infrastructure.
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