| |
ABB's Monthly Newsletter: Products, services, people, technologies & events
December 2011
|
| |
Feature |
| |
 Killer App: Distribution management at the smart grid frontier
The computer bank at Oklahoma Gas & Electric (OG&E) promises to change everything. Equipment racks loaded with 100 computer servers are running the software for a new distribution management system (DMS) that once deployed, will be able to translate data transmitted wirelessly from field equipment into timely, useful information for the control room. It will allow the utility's operators to look at the entire system's configuration when performing fault isolation and restoration processes. It will add intelligence and automatically execute a volt-VAR optimization routine on a wide scale. Although public attention has tended to focus on the sexier aspects of OG&E's strategy of not building new fossil power plants until after 2020, such as renewable energy plans, the utility's DMS represents a major milestone in the development of smart grid infrastructure—and a harbinger of what's to come for the industry.
>> Learn More
|
| |
Highlights |
| |
| HVDC |
| |
 Direct current technology gets another look
Today, AC is still the standard for the electricity that comes out of our wall sockets. But DC is staging a roaring comeback in pockets of the electrical grid. High-voltage DC grids carry gigawatts of electricity from wind farms and other renewable energy sources in remote places to demand locations. Data centers are also using more DC to reduce waste heat and improve efficiency. There is even talk about building eco-friendly homes that use direct current. Read this New York Times article about the new DC trend.
>> More Info
>> I'd like to talk to someone about direct current technology
|
| |
| Distribution Protection & Control |
| |
 Cable fault detection reduces costs and improves reliability
Unplanned power outages are a significant expense and negatively impact resource planning, efficiency, and profitability for utilities. While plenty of media attention is paid to big-ticket infrastructure such as power transformers, many unplanned outages are caused by simple feeder cable failures. This new white paper lays out the challenges presented by cable fault prediction, explains the components necessary to implement a solution, and demonstrates how the investment can provide substantial returns. >> Download white paper
>> I'd like to talk to someone about cable fault detection |
| |
| Smart Grid Blog |
| |
 Smart, smart, smart… so what?
We have been talking about smart grid for a while now. The definition and the expected benefits vary widely depending on who you ask. In his guest post, Dr. Mietek Glinkowski says the greatest accomplishment of the smart grid that he sees is not the new power planning software, or a new sensor, or a smart meter - is the realization that something has to be done in an industry that's been stagnant and complacent for years.
>> Read More |
| |
Business Advisor Challenge |
| |
 Smoothing the flow of renewable energy to the smart grid
After aggressively introducing wind power and other renewable energy sources into his portfolio, a utility executive is stung when his main wind power suppliers have wild swings in output. Can he help his supply partners meet forecasts and contractual targets, while looking out for his company's finances at the same time? Voice your solution in this latest challenge and learn what your peers think!
>> Read More
|
|
Videos | | | |  |
Frequently asked questions about surge arresters for high voltage substation applications
>> Watch Now |
 |
How to reduce the risk of transformer failure
>> Watch Now
|
 |
Hows and whys of a switchgear assessment
>> Watch Now |
 |
How to prevent underground cable failure with predictive monitoring
>> Watch Now |
|
|
