Transformational Power Flow Control Technology Unlocks Cross-Border Electricity Capacity in Southeastern Europe

SAN FRANCISCO, Oct. 21, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- A transformational grid enhancing technology, SmartValve™, has been successfully commissioned in Greece, marking the second deployment of power flow control technology by IPTO. By intelligently controlling the flows of power across the network, this technology can unlock available cross border interconnection capacity between Greece and Bulgaria.

The project is part of the FARCROSS Horizon 2020 project, which aims to increase cross border electricity flows across South-Eastern Europe and improve market coupling by leveraging innovative solutions.

Announcing the successful installation, George Papaioannou, Director of IPTO's Research, Technology & Development Department, said "Innovative projects like this are key to Europe's energy transition and we are delighted to be collaborating with Smart Wires and ESO to improve utilization of our existing networks."

Mark Norton, Smart Wires' Vice President, Business Development Europe commented "Increasing interconnection capacity across Europe has been identified as a necessary enabler of market integration and reaching a decarbonized future."

"This project will do just that – significantly increasing interconnection capacity and heralding a new era of solving grid challenges with rapidly deployable, flexible next-generation technology," Mr. Norton said.

The technology works by pushing power off overloaded lines and pulling power on to underutilized lines; balancing power flows across multiple lines and relieving internal constraints that limit cross-border flows. The SmartValve technology was installed on the 150kV Nea Santa – Iasmos line.

Mr. Konstantinos Plakas, Research Electrical Engineer of IPTO's Research, Technology & Development Department, said "Studies showed that additional capacity could be made available with the use of this technology".

Mr. Christos – Spyridon Karavas, Senior Engineer and Technical Consultant of IPTO's Research, Technology & Development Department, commented "This technology could potentially increase the capacity of the existing network and provide greater operational flexibility to manage constraints."

This project builds on the previous Flexitranstore H2020 project which utilizes smart grid technologies to address the challenges of large-scale renewable energy integration and increasing grid flexibility. In this project, Smart Wires' mobile power flow technology was initially installed in collaboration with IPTO in Greece and has recently been redeployed to Bulgaria with ESO to explore further uses cases of this technology to address some of the region's most critical needs.

About FARCROSS
FARCROSS aims to address the challenge of regional cross border electricity transmission by connecting major stakeholders of the energy value chain and demonstrating integrated hardware and software solutions that will facilitate the "unlocking" of the resources for the cross-border electricity flows and regional cooperation. To achieve its energy goals EU needs to establish a geographically large market by initially improving its cross-border electricity interconnections. A geographically large market, based on imports and exports of electricity, could increase the level of competition, boost the EU's security of electricity supply and integrate more renewables into energy markets. Electricity should, as far as possible, flow between Member States as easily as it currently flows within Member States, so as to increase sustainability potential and real competition as well as to drive economic efficiency of the energy system.

NOTES TO EDITORS:

About Smart Wires www.smartwires.com
Smart Wires is a global power technology company advancing the delivery of affordable, clean electricity worldwide. With our innovative technology and advanced analytics, we maximize the grid's capacity. This means more renewables, at a lower cost and with less disruption to communities and the environment. Smart Wires has a global workforce of 200 professionals spread across four continents. Our team collaborates with our customers to achieve their strategic objectives and help them face an uncertain energy future with flexible, high-impact solutions.

About IPTO www.admie.gr 
The Independent Power Transmission Operator (IPTO or ADMIE) S.A is responsible for the operation of the electricity transmission grid in Greece with system covering the whole of mainland Greece and an increasing portion of the Greek Islands. The mission of IPTO is the operation, control, maintenance and development of the Hellenic Electricity Transmission System, to ensure the country's supply with electricity in an adequate, safe, efficient and reliable manner, as well as the operation of the electricity market for transactions outside the Day Ahead Scheduling, pursuant to the principles of transparency, equality and free competition.

The Department of Research Technology and Development (DRTD) was established in 2014 according to the standards of similar Departments of other European Transmission System Operators for Electricity (TSOs). DRTD's mission is to link Research and Innovation activities of Universities - Research Institutes, industries, software and hardware manufacturers to IPTO's current and future activities as well as to enhance its know-how in research topics, involving flexibility solutions and products, in different timescales, storage, digitalization of the power system, sector coupling of the energy domain, smart management of IPTO's assets, TSO-DSO collaboration, etc. The main objective of RT&DD's research activities is to prepare for the transformation of the power system, in order to increase the Renewable Energy Sources' (RES) penetration, without risking the Resilience of the power system, in alignment with EU's Green Deal and Energy Transition Roadmap of ENTSO-E. DRTD participates in several R&I actions undertaking research projects, both at European and national level. The outcomes of the projects are oriented to solve the existing operational and strategic problems of TSOs, in view of the above energy transition challenges they face.

SOURCE Smart Wires

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