中央哈德逊通过Sensus扩展分布式能源能力

NEW YORK UTILITY ADVANCES RENEWABLE ENERGY TRANSFORMATION Alternative energy powers innovation atCentral Hudson Gas& Electric Corporation. Homes with rooftop solar panels andexpansive, commercial solar farms are part of the utility’s2,600 square-mile service area between the northern NewYork City suburbs and the state capital of Albany. CHALLENGE Modernize and adapt in themidst of Distributed EnergyResources expansion SOLUTION “We have a long-term vision that aligns with the state’scommitment to sustainability,” said Central Hudson’sSmart Grid Team Leader, Kevin Post. “The growing pushfor renewable energy creates new opportunities for ourcustomers.” Remote Telemetry Module™(RTM II) for remote monitoringand control REACH FARTHER Transitioning away from a traditional distribution model ina territory covering nearly 400,000 electric and natural gascustomers isn’t as simple as flipping a switch. Technology hashelped the utility seize the opportunity for new grid controlswhile ensuring quality and reliability as demand evolves. Optimize assets for ongoingsmart grid advancement “I want other utilities to be aware of this product and how simple it makes things. Instead of a frustratingexperience trying to figure out how to accomplish your challenges, you can use this technology. It just works.” K E V I N P O S T,Team Leader, Smart Grid, Central Hudson Gas and Electric Corporation A new generation Central Hudson has expanded the DAsolution to include monitoring and controlof Distributed Energy Resources (DERs),which encompass small-sized powergeneration units that attach to the grid andenable the utility to introduce renewableenergy sources, such as solar power. Central Hudson established itsdistributedgeneration programwithin the broadercontext of New York State’senergy plantofoster an innovative, clean energy economy.The program brought new possibilities andincentives to customers but also introduceda few challenges. Solar on the grid As solar farms grew in their rural northeastterritory, Central Hudson recognized thepotential for excessive grid backflowand overvoltage that could cause systemdamage. The utility wanted to protectinfrastructure and mitigate potential issuesin a simple and cost-effective way as moresolar farms came online. “You can’t advance sustainability at theexpense of efficiency or reliability,” saidPost. “We needed to make sure we had theright level of visibility and control over ourgrid.” The utility found their solution in a wirelesscommunication processing tool they hadbegun to implement with longtime partnerSensus, a Xylem brand. Post and his teamdeployed the SensusRemote TelemetryModule™(RTM II) initially to monitor gridconditions and protect against outages.The Distribution Automation (DA) systemuses Intelligent Electronic Devices placedstrategically across their network to helpthem monitor and control distributionassets. “We didn’t want to start from scratch,” saidCentral Hudson Engineer Ryan Yakush.“We knew our available connectivity andrecognized the potential to build somethingwith our current resources.” The utility’s engineering team came up witha design for a direct transfer trip, or (DTT)system that would communicate from theinteroperable RTM II with circuit breakersand reclosers. The system can automaticallyisolate a DER when a condition exists thatcan lead to excessive reverse power flowor overvoltage is detected and help ensuregrid stability. “Our automatic load transfer (ALT) systemshave reduced the duration of electricservice interruptions by 10 percent,” saidPost. “Sensus technology helps us ensurethese units are online and operational.” “It’s a simple design that required littlehardware or investment for set up,” saidYakush. “So we recognized the potential tolaunch the solution on a large scale.” Acing the test Central Hudson put its automated DTTsystem through two months of testing duringwhich the Remote Telemetry Module’sinteroperability proved quick and conclusive. The team at Central Hudson Gas & Electric optimizedexisting assets to safely and reliable connect solar farms totheir smart grid. “We extensively tested the setup anddedicated eight hours to add each solarfarm to the system, but it took less than20 minutes to get it done,” said Post.“The module performed exactly as weenvisioned.” farms with sizes ranging from two to fivemegawatts. The team anticipates that theease of configuring the system will make iteasy to add more installations in the future. “We love the Sensus system and know itlike the back of our hand, so to add newcapabilities is not a problem,” said Yakush.“Hardwiring a DTT used to take weeks toadd a commercial solar farm to our system,now the automation work is completed inthe time is takes to get a cup of coffee—15 minutes or less.” The simulations confirmed energy efficiencyand improved asset management as wellas an opportunity to further enhancecybersecurity. The power provider usedSensus DA hardware products to easi