Sinter Project

The SINTER (Intelligent systems to stabilize electrical grids) are integrated systems of renewable energy sources (photovoltaic and wind generators) and hydrogen-generating devices used to:

• Stabilize weak or saturated power grids
• Make renewable energy sources available to stabilize power supply even in small isolated grids

These systems have the mission of guaranteeing the quality and security of the electrical supply. Moreover they have to be able to work isolated to provide power supply to a small group of customers, industries or rural area. The main components of these systems are:

• Energy storage: hydrogen, batteries, supercapacitors and pumped-storage plant
• Generation: photovoltaic, wind or hydro generators
• Electrical grid connections: using power electronics
• Control systems

One of the goals in European and Spanish policies is increasing the number of generation sources and the share of renewable energies, as well as the saving and rational use of power supply.

The traditional power transmission grid is changing due to the new energy sources distribution, based in the location of the renewable asset, that have to behave dynamically like the traditional generators when there are contingencies.

On the other hand, despite the highly meshed spanish power grid, there are many places in which the power supply doesn’t match the quality and security standards. Most of these nodes are located in rural settings, small cities and industrial parks. Their customers suffer the consequences of being connected to weak or overloaded power grids:

• Voltage drops lasting a few seconds or even some days.
• Fluctuations of frequency and voltage out of allowed limits.
• High harmonic distortion.

This problem comes up in industrialized countries as well as in developing ones. In the first group it is due to the excessive exploitation of power lines or the population dispersion, and in the second group it is due to the lack of power lines and the weakness of the grid.

The Stabilizing Systems that are going to be developed in this project represent a feasible alternative with great economic and environmental benefits compared to current solutions to these problems: new power lines, repowering of existing ones, installing diesel generators, etc.

In order to ensure the technical viability of the SINTER, Six demonstrators will be developed, built and put into operation at several locations, with which the elements of generation, storage, electrical grid connection and control will be tested, making it possible to improve their features and their useful life, in addition to reducing their maintenance.

Demonstrator 1: Basic stabilizing system connected to the Endesa rural electrical grid

It will be located in the urban area of Zaragoza.

The purpose is to provide instant reactive power for voltage control.

Demonstrator 2: Stabilizing system with generation and storage of hydrogen, connected to the power grid

Located in Walqa technologic park – Huesca.

Stabilizing system using wind and photovoltaic generation and energy storage by means of hydrogen-generation, supercapacitors and batteries. It works connected to the main power grid.

Demonstrator 3: Isolated stabilizing system with reversible hydraulic pumping

Located in Valdabra (Huesca).

This involves building and testing a SINTER capable of operating connected to or isolated from the power grid, combining wind energy with reversible pumping, hydrogen (based on an electrolyzer) and supercapacitors, in an existing pump installation.

Demonstrator 4: Power grid stabilizing system for isolated operation and connected to the power grid

Located in ADES instalations in Tarazona.

This involves designing, building, and putting into operation a SINTER with capacity to operate isolated and connected to the power grid. This combines systems of wind and photovoltaic energy generation and supercapacitors. Dual integration will be realized, in direct and in alternating current, to compare advantages and disadvantages of each of them. The objective is double: To prevent plant activities from affecting the quality of the power grid and to improve the quality of the power supply.

Demonstrator 5: Power grid stabilizing system in the CEDER

Located in Soria, in the CEDER instalations (Spanish Center of Renewables Energies).

The operating capacity as a stabilizer of the CEDER power grid of a single aerogenerator is tested; its generation is conditioned to the needs of the CEDER.

Demonstrator 6: System for Testing and analysis of the proposed demonstrators

Itinerant location.

This involves a mobile laboratory whose purpose is to check fulfilment by the stabilizers of the different international and national grip codes (rules established by international and national organisms for the behaviour of the power grid), which allow their diffusion in weak and saturated grids.