ABB Launches World’s First Excitation Product Compliant with New European Grid Code

Courtesy of ABB

ABB is to deliver innovative excitation solutions that ensure early compliance with new European regulations and which will bring broader benefits, minimising risk in connecting grid networks and supporting reliable and stable operations.

ABB’s UNITROL 1000 series is the world’s first excitation product that is fully compliant with the new European grid code pioneered in Germany, having been validated by certification body TÜV Nord.

The European grid codes are a set of rules that harmonise, integrate and improve efficiencies across the electricity market. They are a key system put in place to help the EU achieve its energy objectives and reduce greenhouse gas emissions by increasing renewable energy share and energy savings. The regulations strengthen rules for connecting plants to grid networks, in response to an increasing number of distributed renewable assets, such as wind farms and photovoltaic plants, overloaded grids and integrated E-mobility.

“ABB has ensured timely compliance with these new grid codes to provide broader benefits for our customers, helping minimise risk in connecting grid networks” said Kevin Kosisko, Managing Director, Energy Industries, ABB. “Even the most stable networks are introducing grid codes to keep their systems reliable and to enhance overall network optimisation. We expect grid codes around the world will increase even further in the future, and we will continue investing in advanced technologies and standards for optimal industry compliance.”

Excitation systems are a key component in many power generating units used by plant owners and operators to achieve reliability with operations, stability and fast transient response of their assets, as per grid requirements.

Compliance to the German grid code and to the latest ENTSO-E[i] regulations can be achieved also by 20,000+ UNITROL 1000 customers around the world, by means of a new generation of dedicated software with supporting functions which, once installed, support existing assets complying with the new standards.

For ABB customers, full compliance with the latest European grid code requirements will enable holding a certification that remains valid – even if there are updates to excitation system firmware. Customers will also receive access to a state-of-the-art simulation model available to easily integrate in generator control models. Such an integration may simplify and accelerate full generator set certification.

To better serve customers in preparing for these wider industry changes, ABB is also strengthening its consulting packages. ABB has enhanced detailed grid code compliance studies – including modelling of power plant major components – to help operators provide necessary simulations reports and performance evaluations for national Transmission System Operators (TSOs). This, in turn, supports allowances to connect to national grids.

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