Hitachi Unveils Clean, Green Networking Solutions

Hitachi Energy has called for immediate action to expand and strengthen global power grids to support the clean energy transition.

The company stressed the urgent need to address power grid bottlenecks and increase the deployment of innovative power electronics technologies.

There are currently 3,000 gigawatts (GW) of renewable energy projects waiting to be connected to the grid worldwide, which is five times the solar and wind capacity added in 2022.

The International Energy Agency estimates that 80 million kilometers of grid will need to be added or replaced by 2040, causing grid investment to double to more than $600 billion per year by 2030.

To address these challenges, Hitachi Energy has launched Grid-enSure, a suite of integrated solutions designed to enhance grid agility, resilience and stability.

The new offer was presented during the CIGRE 2024 session in Paris.

Grid-enSure is a combination of Hitachi Energy’s consulting services, power electronics solutions and advanced control systems.

It includes technologies such as high-voltage direct current (HVDC), static compensators (STATCOM), static frequency converters (SFC) and energy storage solutions.

The company emphasized that traditional energy technology solutions alone will not be sufficient to meet the needs of renewable energy-powered grids. The Grid-enSure approach includes advanced semiconductor technology and control systems that provide microsecond response to grid needs.

Hitachi Energy presented several examples of Grid-enSure in practice.

These include the Caithness Moray-Shetland project in Scotland, a multi-terminal HVDC system integrating wind power from remote islands, and an installation at TransnetBW in Germany that will reduce grid inertia and help cut CO2 emissions.

In Australia, near Sydney, a new Waratah Super Battery is being built, which will house 288 energy conversion systems.

This battery storage system will help Australia meet its renewable energy target of adding 33,000 gigawatt-hours per year by 2030.

The company also recognized its advisory work in the design of a 250-kilometer AC shore power line off the coast of Norway, integrating STATCOM technology and thyristor-controlled series capacitors to deliver hydropower to offshore oil and gas resources.

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