Sumitomo Electric Industries, Ltd. - First time in the U.S. and Japan to Successfully Build and Operate Microgrid with Battery Storage on Actual Power Distribution Network, Strengthens Resilience of Power Infrastructure in California, USA
April 06, 2022 at 08:46 am EDT
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The New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organization ('NEDO') and Sumitomo Electric Industries, Ltd. have completed a demonstration project in the U.S. State of California to improve the power quality of the grid, and have successfully achieved the major deliverables such as establishment of a microgrid on a commercial power distribution network inclusive of 66 customers, operation of a large-scale stationary storage battery, the Redox Flow Battery (RF Battery), and multi-use operation in both normal and emergency situations.
The system makes it possible to earn revenue through electricity market transactions during normal operations, in addition to providing power to blackout areas or the areas that outages are assumed, as an independent power source, during an emergency such as natural disasters and planned outages. It is the first time in the U.S. and Japan that a microgrid has been operated on a commercial distribution network with the storage batteries as the main power source, bracing for a power outage.
The results of this demonstration project could be applicable to the cases with high potential demand both in Japan and abroad in the future, such as microgrids with solar and wind power facilities constructed for off-grid areas and 100% renewable energy supply is required for the islands where the transportation cost of power generator fuels is expensive.
The New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organization ('NEDO') and Sumitomo Electric Industries, Ltd. ('Sumitomo Electric') have completed a demonstration project in the U.S. State of California to improve the power quality of the grid, and have successfully achieved the major deliverables such as establishment of a microgrid on a commercial power distribution network inclusive of 66 customers, operation of a large-scale stationary storage battery, the Redox Flow Battery (RF Battery), and multi-use operation in both normal and emergency situations.
The system makes it possible to earn revenue through electricity market transactions during normal operations, in addition to providing power to blackout areas or the areas that outages are assumed, as an independent power source, during an emergency such as natural disasters and planned outages. It is the first time in the U.S. and Japan that a microgrid has been operated on a commercial distribution network with the storage batteries as the main power source, bracing for a power outage.
The results of this demonstration project could be applicable to the cases with high potential demand both in Japan and abroad in the future, such as microgrids with solar and wind power facilities constructed for off-grid areas and 100% renewable energy supply is required for the islands where the transportation cost of power generator fuels is expensive.
Sumitomo Electric Industries, Ltd. is one of the world's leaders of electric wires and cables, and fiber optic manufacturing. Net sales (including intragroup) break down by sectors of activity as follows:
- automotive (54.8%): cable beams, rubber anti-vibration products, etc.;
- energy and environment (21.1%): copper electric wires, electric cables, magnet wires, power cables, etc.;
- electronic (7.8%): electronic wires, semiconductors components, electronic components, printed circuit boards, etc.;
- information and communication (7.5%): fiber optic cables, optic components, network cabling systems, etc.;
- others (8.8%): primarily steel special wires.
Net sales break down geographically as follows: Japan (42.7%), China (19.7%), Asia (10.7%), the United States (11.8%), the Americas (4.2%) and other (10.9%).
Sumitomo Electric Industries, Ltd. - First time in the U.S. and Japan to Successfully Build and Operate Microgrid with Battery Storage on Actual Power Distribution Network, Strengthens Resilience of Power Infrastructure in California, USA