AEW Energie, Hitachi Energy Move Toward Smart Energy Management via Virtual Power Plant

Global energy company Hitachi Energy has announced a collaboration with electricity company AEW Energie AG (AEW), combining automation software and a newly added battery energy storage system (BESS). 

Hydrogen. Image used courtesy of Pixabay

The canton of Aargau in the North of Switzerland is one of 23 states belonging to the Swiss Confederation. The area is well known for its fertile lands, thermal baths, springs, and location, situated beside the lower section of the Aare River. AEW provides generation, transmission, and distribution services to the people of Switzerland. AEW combines locally sourced renewable power resources such as hydropower, wind, and solar. 

Companies operating across the globe are adopting such a combinatorial approach to energy provision to integrate renewable technologies better, meet climate neutrality goals, and stabilize the power grid.

As the dedicated energy provider for the people of Aargau, the company aims to enhance its energy network to meet changing consumer demands and keep pace with its target for climate neutrality by 2040. 

 

Virtual Power Plant Infrastructure 

AEW recently brought in the e-mesh software platform and BESS from Hitachi to intelligently manage power provision. The idea is to use the e-mesh system in corroboration with the BESS as part of a virtual power plant (VPP) infrastructure.

A VPP infrastructure is a system that integrates distributed energy resources (DERs) to provide ancillary services to the power grid.

Virtual power plant infrastructure. Image used courtesy of Solar Edge

The system utilizes many energy sources to provide stable power for consumers, including solar, wind, and other forms of renewable energy.

The system is intended to create more energy-independent, sustainable communities by reducing the amount of fossil fuel used for electricity generation and reducing greenhouse gas emissions from fossil fuels.

 

Hitachi’s E-mesh Ecosystem

Hitachi’s e-mesh software platform provides users with the tools to connect, manage, and monitor DERs. E-mesh PowerStore is a solution designed to provide power access and is available in different sizes and configurations, which can be integrated or modular. Among its features, PowerStore ensures compliance with cybersecurity standards, helps provide users with rapid responses to changing power demands, and high-quality power.

Energy management software platform. Image used courtesy of Tritility

E-mesh SCADA (Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition) and e-mesh Control are other offerings from the e-mesh suite. These offerings are designed to help customers integrate plant energy assets (both renewable and traditional) into one individual management system. 

E-mesh EMS (Energy Management System) enables energy asset regulation, optimization, and coordination. Such a system can generate forecasts concerning energy prices, renewable power source availability, and load, helping customers dispatch energy when and where it may be needed while balancing system efficiency, costs, and the quality of power provided.

With the cloud-based solution, e-mesh Monitor, users can pool data from DERs and create business insights. Customers have access to real-time monitoring, an intuitive web interface, a safeguarded cloud environment, pooled data, tools for historical analysis, and performance analytics reporting. Greater visibility of assets can help customers enhance the performance of existing assets and increase return on investment (ROI).

 

Increasing Grid Resilience

AEW is looking to establish the software-backed BESS as a learning platform to improve grid resiliency and add DERs to existing operations. The BESS will start with 5.5 megawatt/10 MW hour (MW/10 MWh) in capacity. Eventually, AEW hopes to scope out potential solutions to tackle new opportunities in the market, including VPPs, energy trading, and managing electric vehicles (EVs) under its grid.