Almost every country in the world is pursuing the important aim of obtaining more energy from renewable sources. However, the increasing expansion of renewable energies poses major challenges for the energy sector, with uncontrolled load flows, instabilities, line overloads or even power transmission failures the possible result.
The use of FACTS (Flexible AC Transmission Systems) technologies can ensure more capacity and control in existing AC networks. FACTS systems can help to utilize existing systems more efficiently, particularly when building new transmission networks is too costly. They can prevent high voltage fluctuations, load-related disruptions or power failures. Projects using FACTS show that the capacity can be increased by up to 50 percent.
Different systems can be used depending on the challenge. STATCOM Systems (Static Synchronous Compensator), for example, offer grid operators reactive power compensation and an improved voltage range in operation with shorter response times. SVC Systems (Static Var-Compensator), in turn, are a cost-effective and efficient means of dynamic voltage support and contribute to a reliable, efficient transmission network. .
With more than 100 FACTS projects implemented, including STATCOM and SVC, Lorünser Austria has many years of experience. For STATCOM, examples include the Gersteinwerk power plant substation in Germany partnered by Siemens for end customer Amprion and SVC Bacata in Colombia partnered by Siemens for end customer ISA, in addition to Al-Jouf in Saudi Arabia partnered by Siemens for end customer SEC.
Lorünser supports such projects with planning, engineering and collision checks in the design phase, training of engineering partners and complete provision of clamps and pipes. Lorünser products provide reliable connections without hotspots for the high demands of power transmission up to 9000 amps.