Test & measurement


Why does a diversified energy sector need smaller RTUs?


As the energy industry diversifies - often by connecting smaller power generation assets to the main grid - a problem has arisen. Traditional remote telemetry units (RTUs), used to monitor points where large generation plants connect with the grid, are often oversized for these smaller assets. Here, Matthew Hawkridge, chief technology officer at Ovarro, looks at why smaller, more economical RTUs will be essential for a diversified energy market.


D


iversification of the energy sector is a double-edged sword. On the one side, there is a huge benefit in the reduction in


reliance on fossil and nuclear fuels as well as the creation of market opportunities for new investors and new consumers. On the negative side, many of the alternative energy sources - like Solar power plants and wind turbines - do not have the same level of control as traditional plants. This requires precise monitoring and control at


every interconnect to the grid, increasing the demands for data by the grid’s operational systems. RTUs (Remote Telemetry Units) have long been


used in the energy sector for managing power distribution. But, the economic impost of installing a large, traditional, power grid RTU, for system management, at every one of these small interconnects is a challenge for the industry. Smaller RTUs can meet this challenge.


What impact have renewable


power generation plants had on existing systems?


Wind, solar, hydro, biomass and wave solutions for power generation have all added significant sources to traditional networks in recent years. Renewable energy now produces a growing proportion of most developed countries’ total energy output — recently exceeding 20 per cent for the first time in the UK. Compared to large coal, gas and nuclear plants —


where a single point of entry to the system carries the bulk of supply — operators now need to manage a much wider portfolio of assets, with much smaller demands at each location. This has resulted in a need for smaller RTUs.


Why is there growing demand for smaller, smarter RTUs?


A typical power station is around 1 Gigawatt (1GW). The RTUs to monitor the connections between these facilities and the power grid are not suitable for the vast range of smaller, renewable options — such as solar, biomass and wind — where supply power is measured in kilowatts. At these smaller-sized power connections to the network, the asset monitoring


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and control RTUs used for a full-scale power distribution would be overkill. Operators require smaller, but still capable, RTU


solutions that have been proven in power monitoring and control in parallel markets. We’ve seen growing demand for our RTUs which can be cost-effectively deployed, but still provide operators with the data they need. TBox RTUs, for example, have been used for


decades to monitor power consumption at critical assets. RTUs allow telecommunications operators to monitor the incoming supply from the main grid and any local backup generation or backup storage at their facilities. In the event of a grid failure, RTUs help them decide what actions need to be taken to ensure continued operations of the critical telecommunications network.


Using an RTU in the renewable sector


Ovarro’s TBox RTUs are being used on wind turbine towers in Greece, monitoring production, rather than consumption, at each tower. These kinds of RTUs, even with a small footprint, have enough capacity to manage the limited number of I/O points that are required at each power generation tower — which Ovarro has found with a number of its customers. The TBox has also been used on 30MW solar


power plants in France and on grid connected Solar Arrays in Australia, producing as little as 250kW. These interconnects are much smaller than the gigawatt connections of a large power plant, but still require localised monitoring and often, control. The small TBox RTU is well suited to these applications.


Is monitoring smaller power plants less complex?


Not necessarily. In fact, while power management may be less complex, smaller power plants can have a more complex set of communication demands than traditional plants. Small sites are often independently owned and managed and must share data with numerous stakeholders. The ability of an RTU to collect data from numerous sources and distribute information to numerous stakeholders is a key advantage when compared to other process controllers.


June 2021 Instrumentation Monthly


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