The Fundamentals and EcoJoule partnership – a world first in end-to-end grid voltage control
Driving low carbon energy integration
Fundamentals CEO Dr Jon Hiscock explained: “The world’s transition from centralised, fossil-powered grids, means integrating millions of new low carbon distributed energy resources (DERs) on networks which were not originally designed to deal with them – including solar, wind, batteries and EVs, at local as well as industrial scales.
“DERs increasingly cause peaks and troughs in voltages, which need controlling to prevent customer equipment failures, energy wastage, and unnecessary carbon emissions.”
“The products and know-how we provide in combination with EcoJoule are uniquely able to deliver end-to-end grid voltage control, enabling more DERs to be connected more quickly, without causing voltage issues. This allows operators to accelerate their transition to a low carbon future, with less need for costly network reinforcement, so customers benefit from better service and lower costs.”
Fundamentals
Headquartered in Swindon, UK, Fundamentals originated in 1985 with its founders’ invention of a game-changing control circuit, which enabled the efficient operation and balance of paralleled power transformers.
Called the Transformer Automatic Paralleling Package (TAPP), it laid the foundation for the development of the current generation of industry-leading SuperTAPP SG (Smart Grid) automatic voltage control/regulation and monitoring relays (AVC/AVRs).
SuperTAPP SGs are widely used by grid operators in the UK and internationally to provide control and monitoring of on-load tapchangers, incorporating functions for transformer paralleling, load drop compensation, runaway prevention, DER integration, network balancing services and VAR (Volt-Ampere Reactive) control.
Available as hardware relays or in software form, SuperTAPP SGs are uniquely effective at managing complex network voltages and integrating distributed energy resources (DERs). For example, they are one of the core technologies used by the UK’s Northern Power Grid in a trial to use data from smart meters to optimise network voltages, as more DERs are added to its system.
Fundamentals’ voltage control capabilities include providing support and upgrades for thousands of legacy tapchangers from multiple manufacturers, through its Ferranti Tapchanger Services operation, based in Oldham, UK.
Services include grid-wide AVC/AVR design and implementation projects.
EcoJoule Energy
Based in Brisbane, Australia, EcoJoule Energy was established in 2014 to develop solutions for integrating low carbon technologies (LCTs) on utility grids – specifically in relation to problems caused at the low voltage (LV) ends of networks by massive increases in consumers opting for solar rooftop panels. With an expanding customer base in Australia, Europe and the Asia-Pacific region EcoJoule’s innovative technology for LV grid addresses a growing need to adapt this portion of the network to the technical challenges of a low-carbon future.
EcoJoule’s two core products are:
A family of Low Voltage Static Compensators (STATCOMs), which use shunt-connected power electronics to control local voltages, by sinking and sourcing reactive power. When voltage is low, they source capacitive VARs. When voltage is high, they sink inductive VARs.
EcoVARs are usually pole-mounted and can be added to local networks in a matter of hours.
Numerous studies have demonstrated that EcoVAR units are highly cost-effective at keeping local voltages within acceptable limits, resulting in better service to customers, less energy wastage, lower bills and reduced carbon emissions.
EcoSTOR BESS (Battery Energy Storage System)
A family of products which combine the features of EcoVARs with built-in community batteries, ranging in size to cover applications from a few houses to larger local settlements.
The addition of batteries means energy can be stored when it is plentiful and cheap, either from local production or from the grid during periods of low demand, then used by customers when demand is high and grid supplies are expensive.
EcoJoule has shown that installing community-scale batteries is far more cost-effective than individual households fitting their own units. Consumers benefit from lower bills and greater network reliability, while the units’ ability to control voltages avoids the need for expensive network reinforcement to deal with increasing connection of local DERs.
