Renewable energy is becoming more common and the trend points to power production being moved closer to the end user, further out in the power and transmission network. Therefor, greater demands are placed on monitoring to ensure a reliable energy flow and that the power quality produced is within acceptable limits.
Renewable energy can give increased costs
Power production closer to the end user means a new power environment where new energy flows and disturbances can occur.
Electrical energy will, for periods, be produced more locally and there are new flows in the power and transmission network that can in turn lead to increased energy losses and voltage quality problems.
Among the disturbances that can occur from renewable energy sources are flicker, harmonics and connection disturbances in the form of rapid voltage changes.
It therefore becomes even more important tocarry out continuous analyses of power quality in different parts of the transmission and distribution network. This captures intermittent disturbances before leading to expensive problems and monitor any increasing losses.
Recommended solution
To ensure that the power environment is maintained in a good state, even with expanded future power production via renewable energy sources, ongoing follow-up and checking of these parts of the power and transmission network is required.
Metrum’s fixed measurement instruments are installed in selected parts (for example nearest distribution sub-station) to continuously chart the flow in the power and transmission network. The instrument should preferably be installed in good time before any major expansion occurs in order to document and map what the power environment looks like before and after. This applies in particular when wind turbine parks are expanded and the energy production will vary a lot over time depending on the wind conditions.
Metrum’s intelligent measurement systems make it possible to monitor prioritized parts of the power and transmission network continuously and for a reasonable price and are therefore also suitable for documenting the impact of renewable energy sources.