Hitachi Energy has called for immediate action to expand and strengthen global power grids to support the clean energy transition.
The company highlighted the urgent need to address grid bottlenecks and increase the deployment of innovative power electronics technology.
Currently, 3000 gigawatts (GW) of renewable energy projects are waiting in grid connection queues worldwide, equivalent to five times the solar and wind capacity added in 2022.
The International Energy Agency estimates that 80 million kilometers of grids must be added or replaced by 2040, requiring grid investment to double to over $600 billion annually by 2030.
To address these challenges, Hitachi Energy has launched Grid-enSure, a portfolio of integrated solutions designed to enhance grid flexibility, resilience, and stability.
The new offering was unveiled at the CIGRE 2024 Paris Session.
Grid-enSure combines Hitachi Energy’s consulting services, power electronics solutions, and advanced control systems.
It includes technologies such as high-voltage direct current (HVDC), static compensators (STATCOM), static frequency converters (SFC), and energy storage solutions.
The company emphasised that traditional power technology solutions alone are insufficient to meet the needs of renewable-powered grids. Grid-enSure’s approach involves advanced semiconductor technology and control systems that provide microsecond response to address grid requirements.
Hitachi Energy highlighted several examples of Grid-enSure in action.
These include the Caithness Moray-Shetland project in Scotland, a multi-terminal HVDC system integrating wind energy from remote islands, and an installation at TransnetBW in Germany that will contribute to grid inertia and help reduce CO2 emissions.
In Australia, the new Waratah Super Battery near Sydney is under construction, featuring 288 Power Conversion Systems.
This Battery Energy Storage System will help Australia meet its renewable energy target of adding 33,000 gigawatt-hours annually through 2030.
The company also noted its advisory work in designing a 250km power-from-shore AC connection off the coast of Norway, integrating STATCOM technology and thyristor-controlled series capacitors to supply hydropower to offshore oil and gas assets.
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