Kraftwerke Linth-Limmern allots $31m contract to ABB

ABB Ltd. has bagged an order worth $31 million from Kraftwerke Linth-Limmern AG (KLL) to supply two turnkey substations and auxiliary power equipment for a hydro storage power plant facility at the Tierfehd hydro power plant in Switzerland.

The order is part of KLL’s refurbishment and expansion plans for its installations at Tierfehd, which are due to be completed in 2011. ABB’s technologies will help to stabilise the regional grid and make better use of the generation capacity available in Switzerland.

ABB will supply and install two gas-insulated switchgear (GIS) substations, rated at 220 kilovolts (kV) and 50 kV, along with air-insulated components and the complete substation automation system.

Kraftwerke Linth-Limmern AG produces 460 million kW h of electricity every year. The construction of a pumped-storage power facility with a pump/turbine rating of 1000 megawatts is planned for 2015. It will be built inside a mountain, 600 meters below the surface near the town of Linthal.

In another development related to ABB, its Board of Directors of ABB Ltd. recently appointed Joseph M. Hogan as CEO of the ABB Group. Hogan, who is currently CEO of GE Healthcare, will join ABB on September 1, 2008.

Georgetown University to work with Electro Energy

Georgetown University, which has been associated with the development of transportation fuel cells for over two decades, has chosen Electro Energy for a customised battery pack.

Electro Energy will be supplying the customised battery pack utilising its patented Bipolar Wafer Cell Nickel Metal Hydride technology for the Georgetown University Methanol Fuel Cell Transit Bus Integration and Test Project. In addition to this, it will also provide engineering and technical expertise.

The company will partner with other team members, such as EV America, to develop the bus design as well as the battery and fuel cell integration and test plan to deliver a methanol fuel cell transit bus.

Georgetown University, under a Grant from the Federal Transit Administration (an agency of the US Department of Transportation), is developing the next-generation liquid fueled (methanol) fuel cell power plant to be integrated and tested on a heavy-duty hybrid electric transit bus.

The key objectives of Georgetown University’s Advanced Vehicle programe are to support the development of fuel cell technology and assist industry in commercialisation of fuel cells for transit applications. The Fuel Cell System (FCS) is envisioned to be sufficient to power a 30-foot hybrid electric transit bus when optimised for operation with an energy storage system on the bus.

The fuel cell system will include a fuel cell, fuel processor (methanol), controls, air treatment, cooling system, and water management subsystems.

Advanced Vehicle Development at Georgetown began in 1983, with feasibility studies for fuel cell powered transit buses conducted with Los Alamos National Laboratory.

IBM works on technical blueprints for smart grids

IBM is preparing a technical framework “to accelerate new technology integration into the creaky electricity distribution grid.”

This was recently shared by Drew Clark, director of strategy for IBM’s Venture Capital Group, according to CNET. The report added that the focus is on a common set of communication protocols and data formats that utilities and smart-grid start-ups can adhere to. IBM’s San Mateo-based Venture Capital Group has been charged with finding partner companies that can help the tech giant offer its customers comprehensive data center solutions.

IBM is developing a software framework for writing applications that takes advantage of the two-way communication of smart-grid technologies.

Last year, IBM facilitated a 125-home pilot study of smart-grid technology for residential users on the Olympic peninsula in Washington.

In April this year, when IBM had teamed up with Country Energy, Australia’s biggest power system operator, to develop smart grids, it was then shared that with this and other ventures, IBM is targeting a global power grid infrastructure market worth about $81 billion and estimated to grow at about five percent a year through 2010. The core element of the initiative is an open digital network that remotely senses and directs the flow of electricity, enhancing efficiency by more intelligently managing load -- the amount of electricity flowing over the grid at any given moment -- while selecting power from the most efficient local generation sources.

Among other companies, SAP is involved with SAP AMI Lighthouse Council, which is a consortium of vendors and utilities addressing business processes and use cases to support AMI (Advanced Metering Infrastructure) to create the SAP for Utilities solution.

FirstEnergy’s Ohio utilities come up with Electric Security Plan

The electric utility companies of diversified energy company FirstEnergy Corp. have filed an Electric Security Plan (ESP) with the Public Utilities Commission of Ohio (PUCO).

The filing features Ohio Edison Company (Ohio Edison), The Cleveland Electric Illuminating Company (CEI) and The Toledo Edison Company (Toledo Edison). It would phase in generation rates over a three-year period and incorporate the companies’ distribution rate case that was filed with the PUCO in June 2007.

Anthony J. Alexander, president and chief executive officer of FirstEnergy said the plan “protects customers from the kind of rate shock experienced in other states” while providing for appropriate investments in system reliability

He added, “At the same time, our company will provide up to $50 million to support energy efficiency, demand reduction and economic development and job retention programs under the plan.”

Under the plan, total customer rates - including generation, transmission and distribution - would increase an average of 5.3 percent in 2009, four percent in 2010 and six percent in 2011. Of the 2009 increase, approximately 3.2 percent is related to the companies’ pending distribution rate case. If approved, the ESP would represent the first increase in base rates since 1990 for Ohio Edison and 1996 for CEI and Toledo Edison.

Although the percentage change in rates will vary depending on usage, the impact on a typical residential monthly bill from Ohio Edison based on 750 kilowatt-hours (kWh) would be a decrease of $1.28 in 2009, followed by an increase of $3.06 in 2010 and an increase of $3.67 in 2011.

For CEI, the decrease would be $0.10 in 2009, then an increase of $3.45 in 2010 and $1.29 in 2011. For Toledo Edison, the decrease would be $0.16 in 2009, then an increase of $3.06 in 2010 and $3.30 in 2011.

Proposed rates reflect the end of transition cost recovery for all three companies, including CEI, which was scheduled to continue collecting regulatory transition costs through 2010. The filing is required under Amended Substitute Senate Bill 221 (Am. Sub. SB 221).

Demand response trade association gets new members

Several companies including IBM Corporation and Orion Energy Systems have joined the Demand Response and Advanced Metering (DRAM) Coalition, a trade association for the demand response industry.

Other companies, which have joined the Washington, DC-based non-profit organisation, are Eka Systems, Direct Energy, Site Controls Energy Services, Tendril and Ziphany.

Frank Magnotti, president and COO of Comverge’s Alternative Energy Resources Group and chairman of DRAM said the new companies will help DRAM in its mission to educate policy makers, utilities, the media and stakeholders on all aspects of demand response.

DRAM stated that the list of new entrants exemplifies the growing diversity of the demand response industry.

Eric Dresselhuys, vice president of marketing for Silver Springs Networks, and vice-chairman of DRAM, said there are increasingly more players in the demand response space, with either demand response as their primary business model or as a new business area added to their portfolio of offerings.

“We are seeing companies from the information technology and smart grid sectors, as well as the traditional energy efficiency area, join DRAM and support its efforts to help grow the demand response industry and deliver the unique value demand response can provide in addressing the challenges facing the electricity industry and its customers,” said Dresselhuys.

UISOL gears up for growth in demand for Smart Integration services

Utility Integration Solutions, Inc. (UISOL) has expanded its Smart Grid/Smart Metering consulting practice to meet expected growth in demand for its Smart Integration services.

The utility industry business integration specialist has recently strengthened its team with the addition of Mark Day.

Day, who joined UISOL following a senior role at AMI systems technology, said, “With our core focus on the integration of demand response (DR) and Meter Data Management (MDM), UISOL offers utilities a unique blend of business process and integration expertise that sets us apart.”

Since its inception in 2002, UISOL has provided business integration and related services to over 40 utility industry customers.

In the first half of 2008 alone, UISOL served seven different utilities and ISOs with Advanced Metering Infrastructure (AMI), DR and MDM related services.

Specifically under demand response solutions, UISOL’s recent efforts include the development and successful California collaborative field simulation of the Demand Response Business Network (DRBizNet) in 2006, and the implementation of DRBizNet for PJM Interconnection, LLC that is currently in progress.

UISOL DRBizNet software enables market operators and utilities to efficiently, reliably, and securely manage DR processes end-to end.

Advanced metering technology being tested in the District of Columbia

A group of selected residential electricity consumers in the District of Columbia have been chosen for a pilot programme, PowerCentsDC, described as the first in the electric utility industry to test the response of residential customers to three different innovative pricing options under one programme.

Via this initiative, an advanced metering technology is being tested. Plus, the consumer are also checking out pricing options that could assist them in curbing their monthly bills by better controlling their power consumption.

From this pilot, organisations involved hope to get an insight into how consumers react to pricing information. They also want to learn whether consumers alter their usage habits, potentially resulting in lower energy costs, achieving energy efficiency gains and a reduction in the amount of kilowatts needed to supply the District of Columbia’s demand, thereby benefiting all consumers.

The two-year pilot project, funded by $2 million from Pepco through a settlement agreement, will include about 1,200 randomly selected District residents representing all eight city wards.

A “smart meter” will be installed at each participant’s residence to measure electricity use at hourly intervals and transmit usage data to Pepco each day through a wireless communications network.

The three pricing options are Hourly Pricing, Critical Peak Pricing and Critical Peak Rebate. The participants can save on their bills by reducing electricity usage during designated hours when wholesale electricity prices are high. Participating Pepco customers will be notified of forthcoming high prices on the previous day.

Pepco Holdings, Inc., the corporate parent of Pepco, anticipates that the implementation of this technology widely will help in controlling of the regional electricity prices during peak demand periods.

The District’s utility regulators approved the programme that was filed by Pepco on behalf of Smart Meter Pilot Program, Inc., a nonprofit company.