ABB has announced the launch of TruONE, an all-new automatic transfer switch (ATS) with connectivity and monitoring functions for critical power applications. TruONE is the world’s first true ATS to package all the necessary sensors and controllers into a single easy-to-install device that helps improve protection and makes installation 80% faster. Critical power applications use…
Going digital: A look at the modern substation
By Steven A. Kunsman, Director of Product Management & Applications ABB | abb.com A utility-scale wind farm must be accompanied by a substation or two. Equipment in the substation transforms voltage and governs the interface to the transmission grid. The substation plays a critical role and essentially acts as the motherboard of the power…
Breakthroughs in switchgear technology use eco-efficient gases for electrical insulation an alternative to SF6
ABB has been developing and deploying alternatives to this greenhouse gas on the path towards greater eco-efficiency and lower environmental impact and is now commissioning the world’s first pilot with a new eco-efficient gas mixture.
ABB increases support for China’s ambitious 2020 wind-power goal
ABB announced it is now supplying wind-generator converters made at its factory in Chaoyang, Beijing, thereby bringing wider power ranges and improved reliability at cost to support China’s ambitious development goal for wind power. This next-generation technology will help to deliver 210+ GW installed capacity. China currently leads the global wind energy market, with 23.3…
ABB’s Emax 2 and Arc Guard System TVOC-2 mitigate electric arc flash
With temperatures of up to 20,000°C and violent overpressure waves, an electric arc flash is an extremely dangerous.
ABB’s distribution management software to improve outage response at major U.S. utility
ABB has successfully delivered its latest distribution and outage management systems to ComEd, a unit of Chicago-based Exelon Corporation, the United States’ leading energy provider. The software solution helps ComEd minimize the impact of outages for its customers across northern Illinois. ABB Ability based Network Manager distribution management system (DMS) provides real-time monitoring and control,…
Benefits of energy storage reach beyond the integration of renewables
Electric energy storage encompasses a broad range of technologies: batteries, flywheels, pumped storage, heat storage and compressed air.
ABB wins $30 million order to support integration of offshore wind energy in the UK
ABB has won a $30 million order from ScottishPower Renewables to supply two SVC Light Static Compensators (STATCOMs) that will smooth out the voltage fluctuations that are an inherent feature of intermittent wind energy. They will increase power transfer capability, improve power quality and enhance grid stability, enabling more energy efficient and reliable power supplies…
Managing assets on the electric grid
Editor’s note: This article comes from ABB’s Power Update and is featured online at T&D World. It is by Gene Wolf , Technical Writer for Transmission & Distribution World Magazine. Read the full version here. When the average manager, engineer, and maintenance technician hear the words asset management, their typical response is less than positive. Tell…
Microgrid system to stabilize grid power in Alaska
Michelle Froese, Senior editor Windpower Engineering & Development Fire Island is a small island near the top of Cook Inlet in the Municipality of Anchorage, Alaska. While it once served as an Air Force station, the island now sits vacant other than a private FAA aviation airfield and a wind farm. The 11-turbine, 17.6-MW wind…
ABB’s microgrid to integrate wind and solar power in Aruba
ABB will provide an advanced microgrid to WEB Aruba, the main power utility serving the Dutch Caribbean island of Aruba. ABB’s software, automation and control technologies will help WEB Aruba integrate solar and wind energy, forecast and plan better and optimize operations in real-time, while meeting Aruba’s growing demand for electricity. A popular tourism destination,…
Low-voltage switching and protection strategies for wind turbines
The electrical protection, control systems, and protection strategies that are so critical to keeping wind turbines running safely present conflicting requirements related to conversion efficiency, production continuity, and more.
ABB brings reliable electricity to remote communities using integrated microgrids
ABB’s MGS100 has been built to perform in extreme environments, and has the ability to transform lives and businesses for the better in places that struggle to access affordable and reliable electricity. The scalable system can be connected to multiple power sources to provide electricity for remote places that are not connected to the main grid.…
ABB strengthens commitment to Canada with new Innovation Center
ABB officially inaugurated its new $90 million state-of-the-art Canadian headquarters and Customer Innovation Center, which will serve 700 employees who were previously spread across six locations in Greater Montreal. Campus Montreal houses research and development, manufacturing, assembly and testing for ABB’s energy value chain. “The new headquarters reaffirms ABB’s commitment to Canada as a growth market…
ABB highlights new technologies & digital capabilities at WINDPOWER
ABB, a technology solutions provider for the wind industry, will showcase a wide range of innovative products, systems, service, and software solutions for the wind industry this week at AWEA WINDPOWER 2017, including the ABB Ability digital portfolio. These tailored digital solutions span the breadth from individual devices to solutions and services for the wind and…
Arc angel, arc flash prevention measure increases safety
Arc-flash temperatures can reach 20,000ºC and the energy and shrapnel produced in the arc blast can cause death, injury and serious damage.
How might flywheels impact the transmission grid and renewables?
Since the invention of the potter’s wheel, flywheels have helped smooth the flow of energy in machines. Over time, more modern devices have found their way into some buses, trains, cranes, and automobiles, typically in the form of regenerative braking. In these cases otherwise wasted energy, say from a vehicle decelerating or stopping, is captured…
Are microgrids a utility friend or foe? White paper sheds light
A recent Navigant Research report identified over 400 microgrid projects currently under development globally.
ABB writes another chapter in the high voltage, direct-current textbook
The next level of ABB’s HVDC Light will enable more than doubling the power capacity to 3,000 megawatts.
The value of microgrids when wicked weathering strikes
Microgrids are small, self-sufficient power grids that serve a group of consumers such as a university campus, military base, or municipality.