ENERGY STORAGE SYSTEMS
The power station can deliver the full capacity of 321 megawatts for three hours . The system then operates for a further five hours with decreasing power , analogous to the decreasing compressed air pressure . This power is drawn upon by remote control from the Düsseldorf control center belonging to Uniper , the power station operator . This is where the schedulers are located who keep a constant eye on the electricity market and , when conditions are favorable , call upon the energy from Huntorf .
Black-start capable This is also the economic task of the energy storage power station . This is because Huntorf can only be operated profitably if the electricity is sold at times when prices are high and stored when generation prices are low . Currently , the
energy storage facility is on standby for most of the year . A huge advantage of the energy storage power station is that it can be started very quickly . Within just three minutes , Huntorf is up and running at 50 percent , reaching full output after just seven minutes . And the system is “ black-start capable ”; that is to say , it can start up autonomously in the event of a total power failure and ensure that grid operations are restored .
Lost In Space The control system and the technical equipment installed here are as old as the power station itself – the control room is like a throwback to Lost In Space . Despite regular maintenance , it was clear that the equipment would not be able to meet future challenges . One reason is that as part of the plant ’ s initial expansion , key operating data has to be read from the existing power station controller via the Modbus / TCP fieldbus protocol and displayed via web-based visualization . To ensure that the operating personnel can respond quickly to any malfunctions ,
Modernized from the old ( top and middle ) to state-of-the-art and clear ( right )
Thanks to open system architecture , the new controllers are future-proof – for the next 40 years !
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UPDATE 6 / 20 The Phoenix Contact innovation magazine