Hawaiian Electric Company Inc. (HECO) and S&C Electric Co. held a dedication at Lalamilo Wind Farm near Waikoloa on the Big Island of Hawaii earlier this week to mark the installation of the first PureWave® Electronic Shock Absorber (ESA), an innovative grid stabilizing device for wind farms. The device incorporates super capacitor energy storage and power-electronic inverter modules, along with a sophisticated control system.
The ESA will store excess power during periods of suddenly increased generation and release this stored energy during periods of suddenly decreased generation, smoothing the transitions to assist in stabilizing the frequency of the grid. The system will also exchange reactive power with the grid to minimize voltage variations, enhancing the ability of a wind farm to ride through transient fault conditions on the grid. In this manner, the ESA will further the practical application of wind farms.
"The wind conditions at Lalamilo are ideal location to test the first electronic shock absorber," said Mike May, HECO president & CEO. "The PureWave® ESA will demonstrate the potential for increasing the wind power that can be generated for a stand-alone electrical system as those we have on each island. Today marks a significant advance in the development of wind power."
"The potential of this device for other small or isolated electric grids is tremendous," said John W. Estey, president & CEO of Chicago-based S&C Electric Company. "The PureWave® ESA can provide short-term electrical energy storage and improve voltage support and overall stability of the transmission system. It is a major step in boosting wind power."
In addition, for larger, interconnected grids, the ESA has significant potential to smooth out fast changing wind power outputs, called ramp rates. The ESA was invented by Karl Stahlkopf, HECO senior vice president for energy solutions and chief technology officer, along with staff from HECO subsidiaries Hawaii Electric Light Co. and Maui Electric Co. HECO patented the concept and chose S&C Electric to design, build and commercialize the device.
