The distribution arm of Italy's biggest utility, Enel , started installing the first smart grid in Italy, part of its push to develop the technology needed to handle electricity flows from decentralised, fluctuating renewable power sources.
The project will install smart controls at Maui Electric facilities at regional and neighborhood levels. The technologies include … battery storage systems.
Italy is poised to welcome electric cars to the streets or Rome, according to Toshiba. Toshiba's Italian subsidiary Ansaldo Transmissione & Distribuzione S.p.A (Ansaldo T&D) won a contract to supply a smart grid distribution system to ACEA Distribuzione S.p.A (Gruppo ACEA), one of Italy’s leading public utilities. The system will include a solar power array and storage batteries, as well as a control unit and smart meters.
In addition to the home-based equipment, Maui Electric Co. will evaluate a variety of smart grid applications such as community energy storage and an advanced computer system to monitor and manage delivery of electricity to customers.
ABB's grid-connected distributed energy storage system will use the International Battery's lithium-ion batteries to provide storage capacity of 87 kilowatt-hours. The scalable and modular system offers thermal management and an extensive battery management system with active cell balancing.
Certainly there are a number of civilian or community-based microgrids under way too – but perhaps not with the urgency that is behind the military's microgrid maneuvers. For instance, in recent weeks alone: … ZBB Energy Corp. won a Navy contract to provide a 1000kWH energy storage system for use in a microgrid application at the San Nicolas Island Naval Facility off the California coast.
"The project will help NY state achieve a number of key energy goals, including … cultivating innovative energy storage technologies …" said Stephen Whitley, NYISO's CEO.