Norwegian Research Council's ENERGIX grant program grants Eltek ASA NOK 7.5 million (about US$1.15 million) to develop energy storage solutions for smart grids. More flexible use of the electricity grid will have substantial economic and environmental gains. The project title is "Smart Energy Storage Enabler" and it will run for two years until the end of 2016. It will exploit Eltek's grid inverter competence and involve the R&D team in Kristiansand. The controller platform and power electronics competence from the R&D teams in Drammen and Stockholm will also be involved. The Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU) in Trondheim and the Center for Power Electronics Systems (CPES) at Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University will be involved as academic partners.
“In the selection process, an important criterion has been the innovative force of the project. The project should be innovative enough to alter the market the actors operate in, but also demonstrate a high probability of realization. If we are going to face the challenges in the energy sector, long-term research is needed, and by this grant the Norwegian Research Council wishes to explore what is possible in the area of energy,†said CEO of Norwegian Research Council, Arvid Hallén.
Eltek is granted funds to do research on cost effective technology for energy storage in smart grids. The electricity grids of today are mainly ‘stupid.’ They transport electricity from large power plants to consumers without any significant intelligence or flexibility to manage unforeseen changes in electricity consumption or production. As the distributed production of renewable energy and the demanding consumer loads - as induction cooking and electric vehicle chargers - increases, more flexibility in the electricity grid is needed. Innovation in power electronics and battery management could let distributed batteries provide flexibility by reducing bottlenecks and improving the electricity grid.
“Batteries can perform a unique and very useful role in the electricity grid. Batteries can behave as consumers when needed or as electricity producers when that suits best. Till now, battery systems have been costly and limited mainly to emergency power. If we manage to reduce the cost and increase the intelligence of the battery systems, substantial costs related to the development and operation of the electricity grid can be saved,†commented Chief Marketing Officer in Eltek, Morten Schøyen.
Eltek was awarded grants from the Norwegian Research Council also in 2012, for the development of new technology on smart grids. In the next phase of the project, Eltek wants to focus on new technology for cost efficient, energy efficient and innovative use of distributed energy storage in the grid.
“Eltek is in a key position linked between the grid and large power supplies in telecom and other industry, resources that through smart power electronics and control could stabilize the electricity grid in many ways. The funds from the Norwegian Research Council gives us the opportunity to continue our long term, ambitious research program on smart grids, and it is a huge honor for Eltek to be recognized among the preeminent companies in Norway in the field of pioneering energy research,†concluded Schøyen.
