Innovative Netzanschlusslösungen aus Portugal: REN auf der eMove360° Europe in Berlin. Foto: REN
The Portuguese company REN is presenting its innovative grid connection solution at eMove360° Europe 2022. With SPEED-E, charging stations can be supplied with high power directly from the extra-high voltage grid. The 6th International Trade Fair for Mobility 4.0 electric-networked-autonomous will take place from 5 to 7 October, Messe Berlin, Hub 27 and Hall 25.
The increasing spread of electric vehicles (EV) requires the development of a nationwide charging infrastructure. The application of classic solutions is most likely insufficient to ensure the required pace of transition. To meet this challenge, REN has developed SPEED-E, a new grid connection solution capable of supplying electric vehicle charging stations directly from the extra-high voltage grid with high power.
SPEED-E overcomes the pressure placed on distribution grids by the electrification of mobility by bypassing the distribution grid and providing a direct connection to the existing extra-high voltage transmission grid. This is possible because the power associated with e-vehicle charging, although significant for distribution grids, can be negligible from a transmission grid perspective. For example, the total power of 25 superfast 150 kW chargers (3750 kW) is only about 1% of the average power capacity of a single transmission line in Portugal.
This innovative solution was developed internally by REN and consists of a small substation connected to an existing extra-high voltage transmission line via a special connection scheme, allowing for greater operational flexibility and reliability. The substation uses power transformers to convert the high voltage directly to low voltage, thus bypassing the traditional concept of multiple voltage grading, which requires different substations to convert 1) high voltage to high voltage, 2) high voltage to medium voltage and finally 3) medium voltage to low voltage.
REN developed this concept using only off-the-shelf equipment and carried out a proof-of-concept project in Portugal, connected to an existing 220 kV transmission line and in operation since 2018. In parallel, REN successfully applied for a European patent. This was granted in April 2021 and is currently valid in 32 European countries. There are also ongoing patent proceedings in the USA and Canada.
The key differentiators of this solution compared to traditional distribution grid power solutions include: (a) virtually unlimited energy available at any location; (b) sustainability of the solution through the possibility of new use of the existing transmission network; (c) modularity and scalability, resulting in lower investment risk; and (d) higher quality of service associated with the transmission network. www.ren.pt
You will find REN in Hub 27, Stand 400.
