Batteries smooth supplies to remote Norwegians
A
Saft Industrial Batteries product story
Edited by the Engineeringtalk editorial team
Aug 30, 2006
Rechargeable Ni-Cd batteries help Norway's Utsira Island community to become renewable energy self-sufficient.
Saft rechargeable Ni-Cd (nickel-cadmium) batteries are playing an important role in the success of the joint Hydro and Enercon project on Utsira Island - the world's first practical demonstration of how wind power and hydrogen storage can work together to create an efficient and reliable, stand-alone, energy supply system for remote communities.
Over the past two years, a community of 10 households on the windswept island off the west coast of Norway has been living off-grid, with its peak-load requirement of 55kW provided from its own, local, renewable resources.
The 37kWh Saft battery system forms a vital buffer in the island's energy chain by providing up to 30 minutes of backup power to ensure complete grid reliability in the case of heavy load variations, component failure and bridging between generation methods.
Two 600kW Enercon E-40 wind turbines have been installed at Utsira Island.
In the first practical example of a combined wind power and hydrogen storage project anywhere in the world, Hydro has developed a method of storing the surplus electricity generated in the form of hydrogen produced by water electrolysis.
When the wind doesn't blow, a hydrogen motor and fuel cell convert the stored hydrogen back into electricity.
This way the two wind turbines function as a stable and secure source of power for the tiny island community, ensuring that sufficient renewable power can be generated at any time - even when consumption is high and wind activity is minimal.
Any excess power is sold on the electricity market.
To ensure the stability of the island's electricity grid, short term storage for smoothing of the wind energy in the seconds range combined with frequency control is provided by a 200kW Enercon flywheel.
For longer support, up to 30 minutes, a battery system was required.
Due to the nature of this application, the main criteria were cycle life and robustness, rather than energy density.
After an intensive 18-month test period to evaluate various battery technologies and suppliers, Enercon decided that Saft rechargeable Ni-Cd batteries with a sintered/PBE construction, developed specifically to offer a high-cycling capability in high-rate applications, offered the optimum combination of cost, reliability and performance.
The Saft battery system comprises 140 Ni-Cd cells in series, with a nominal voltage of 168V and a power capacity of 40kW.
The battery system is kept on float-charge, and typically is called on for a few minutes support once a day.
In 2004, the Utsira project won the Platts Global Energy Award for best project within renewable energy.
It was planned to run for two years, however Hydro and Enercon have now decided to extend the demonstration until spring 2008.
Not what you're looking for? Search the site.
Contact Saft Industrial Batteries
Tel +33 1 49 93 1807
Other Saft Industrial Batteries stories
-
Batteries chosen for passenger coaches
Saft Matrics MRX rechargeable nickel-cadmium (Ni-Cd) batteries willreplace the on-board lead-acid batteries on four new trainsets and 24 existing trainsets. -
Ni-Cd batteries power automated vehicles
Swisslog has switched to Saft STM rechargeable nickel-cadmium (Ni-Cd) battery modules for its new generation Telelift TransCar LTC2 AGVs (automated guided vehicles). -
Saft presents battery technologies at EP Shanghai
Saft is showing its portfolio of battery technologies developed to meet the specific needs of renewable energy applications for efficient and reliable energy storage solutions. -
Saft signs up for supercapacitors
Saft has signed an agreement with ESMA to cooperate in the development, production and commercialisation of supercapacitors based on ESMA's technology. -
Self-launch glider uses Li-ion battery system
The Antares 20E, an electric self-launching glider developed by Lange Aviation and powered by a Saft custom-designed, rechargeable lithium ion (Li-ion) battery system, is back in series production.
Articles by product category
- Consultancy and Services (903)
- Machine Building (4,517)
-
Engineering Design Software (6,179)
- Engineering Design Software (12)
- 2D CAD software (200)
- 3D CAD software (1,157)
- FEA and structural analysis software (369)
- Fluid, thermal, noise, vibration software (334)
- Simulation, modelling, validation software (914)
- Rendering, visualisation, styling software (196)
- Materials design and moulding design software (151)
- Process, instrumentation, automation software (258)
- Electrical design software (164)
- Publishing and documentation software (229)
- Maths, charting, statistics, QA software (317)
- Data, document management software (310)
- CAM, CNC, production management software (568)
- File conversion software, data capture (351)
- PLM and collaboration software (649)
-
Drives, Motors and Controls (3,361)
- Drives, Motors and Controls (1)
- Precision Motors and Gears (411)
- Industrial Drives/Controls (1,276)
- Linear Drives and Motors (114)
- Industrial Motors (497)
- Stepper and Servo Drives, Motors, Controls (1,060)
- Small Mechanical Components, Joining, Tools (1,975)
-
Control and Instrumentation (5,028)
- Plantwide control (1,324)
- Plant- and Machine-Wide Communications (1,174)
- Smaller-Sized PLCs (387)
- CNC and Motion Controllers (184)
- Mid-range and Large PLCs (201)
- Power Supplies, Uninterruptible Power (562)
- HMIs/Operator Interfaces (294)
- Logic Controllers, Timers and Relays (96)
- Cabling, Conduit, Signal Conditioning (806)
-
Monitoring, Measurement and Quality (5,459)
- Monitoring, Measurement and Quality (1)
- Data acquisition Software and Communications (494)
- Data Acquisition Hardware and PC I/O Boards (472)
- Electrical and Electronic Testing, PAT Equipment (630)
- Form/co-ordinate, optical, vision instruments (703)
- Gauges, Indicators and Instruments (440)
- Data loggers (422)
- Materials testing equipment (421)
- Telecomms/network test equipment, software etc (154)
- Testing and Calibration Services and Information (500)
- Testing, analysing and monitoring equipment (1,222)
-
Electrical and Electronic Equipment Design (4,160)
- Batteries, chargers and circuit protection (555)
- Connectors, Terminals, Busbars, Slip Rings (679)
- Enclosures and Equipment Cooling Fans (709)
- Knobs, Handles and Enclosure Hardware (420)
- PCs and Embedded Systems (798)
- Electrical and Electronic Subassemblies (369)
- Electrical and Electronic Components (630)
-
Materials and Processing (2,963)
- Materials and Processing (5)
- Materials and components (2,215)
- Rapid Prototyping (458)
- Materials processing and testing (285)
-
Engineering Industry News, Resources (6,093)
- Engineering Industry News, Resources (4)
- Engineering Business News, Views (388)
- Engineering Exhibitions, Events (562)
- Engineering Conferences (425)
- Engineering Seminars (400)
- Engineering Industry Developments, Awards (633)
- Engineering Guides, Newsletters (349)
- Engineering Recruitment, Employment (219)
- Engineering Training Courses (433)
- Engineering Education, Resources, Standards (838)
- Engineering Industry Reports, Surveys (597)
- Electronic Resources for Engineers (278)
- Health and Safety Legislation (402)
- Health and Safety Strategy, Risk Assessment (113)
- Health and Safety Consultancy, Software (175)
- Health and Safety Events, Training, News (277)
-
Powertrain Design (3,598)
- Powertrain Design (2)
- Bearings (939)
- Chains and belts (326)
- Gears, brakes, couplings and engines (1,441)
- Hydraulic Components (471)
- Lubricants (418)
-
Capital Equipment (3,387)
- Capital Equipment (1)
- Manufacturing Machinery and Plant Equipment (468)
- Production line blowers and fans (62)
- Compressors and Air Treatment (510)
- Electronics Manufacturing, Tools, Instruments (192)
- Electrical hardware (131)
- Machinery and Production Equipment (1,093)
- Robotics, Handling and Storage (930)
-
Sensors (7,080)
- Sensors (8)
- Accelerometers and Vibration Sensors (427)
- Loadcells, Force Sensors, Torque Sensors (699)
- Pressure sensors (621)
- Flowmeters and Flow Sensors (618)
- Level Sensors and Leak Detectors (527)
- Linear Position Sensors (399)
- Rotary Position, Tilt and Angular Sensors (546)
- Proximity Sensors (700)
- Gas, Chemical, Radiation, Magnetic Sensors (284)
- Humidity and Environmental Sensors (152)
- Temperature sensors (612)
- Vision and Colour Sensors (1,384)
- Barcode Sensors (103)
- Valves, Pumps, Process Hardware (3,623)
