Faroe Islands: improving grid stability with a proven charging solution

Description

KEY CHALLENGES

  • Island mode operation – local electricity producer needs to meet the demand without building energy dependence or endangering grid operation
  • All chargers need to be connected/managed – EV are dynamic energy consumers, to make EV use sustainable for the grid, charging loads need to be monitored and managed
  • Extreme weather conditions – durability and robustness ensure acceptable product lifespans and usability

PROJECT OVERVIEW

SEV is the main electricity producer and the only distributor in the Faroe Islands and has full responsibility for the islands’ energy production and supply. Given the Island’s remote location in the North, SEV cannot purchase electricity from neighbouring countries, giving the company full responsibility for producing enough electricity to meet the electricity demand and keeping the grid stable at all times.

Short distances make electric vehicles particularly suitable for residents of the Faroe Islands, but having an utterly self-sufficient power generation can present some challenges to the national grid. Using Etrel’s technology, SEV now provides nearly 700 public charging points and provides residents with charging stations for home use without the threat of disrupting the power grid.

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Etrel INCH charging stations are designed for complex charging locations and can power up to 300 electric vehicles on a single site with a limited power supply. Embracing the Interactive Charging framework, Etrel INCH charging stations offer Autonomous Frequency Regulation functionality. Frequency regulation allows chargers to rapidly respond to grid conditions quickly and minimise charging power when needed to help stabilise the grid at times of excess demand.

During periods of high volatility, the Frequency Response feature enables SEV to balance power demand to local energy production and avoid power outages. Frequency depends on the balance between production and consumption in the power grid. When consumption exceeds production, the frequency falls below the nominal value and vice versa; when the production exceeds consumption, the frequency can rise above the nominal value. In order to bring the frequency back to the optimal value, either the consumption or the production must be adjusted.

Charging EVs present a significant but dynamic load in the grid. Etrel INCH chargers can manage these load autonomously and help balance out grid frequency. Each charging station measures the frequency value several times per second at the charger level and automatically responds to the reading when the value deviates from the nominal value for pre-set number of measurements. If the system frequency is lower than the nominal value, the charging current will be reduced. The nominal value of the frequency in the power system can be different and is usually defined as 50 Hz.

SEV also uses Etrel OCEAN charge point management software to manage and control their charge points all over the Faroe Islands. With all private, semi-public, and public charge points connected to a single back office, SEV will be able to exercise area load management and flexibility operations via the cloud-based solution in the future.

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Aluminium chargers for the harsh environment

A robust and durable charger is a must in an environment where you can experience rain, snow, and sun all on the same day with a whiff of salty winds. Lots of wind and salt in the air can quickly damage exposed components, so a much sturdier material is better suited for the Faroe Islands. The aluminium housing on the Etrel INCH & Etrel INCH Duo chargers was sourced almost entirely from recyclable aluminium and can be fully replaced and recycled again. Playing on its robustness that ensures longer life spam, Etrel developed its Refurbishment program that allows even more prolonged usage and sustainability.

Interested to learn more about Etrel INCH chargers and frequency response? Contact our sales.

ABOUT FAROE ISLANDS

The Faroe Islands are a self-governing archipelago in the Kingdom of Denmark. It consists of 18 islands located between the Norwegian Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean and about 50,000 people live on the islands in an area of 1,399 km2.

ABOUT PARTNER

The power company SEV is an inter-municipal community, owned by all the municipalities in the Faroe Islands, and therefore owned by the people of the Faroe Islands.

SEV is based on joint and several liability, a democratic organisation. Most of the profit, from sales of electricity, is spent on future developments of supply productions and the power supply system. In this way everybody profits, and developments can be carried out parallel to progress in society, which requires more demand for electricity.

SEV is obliged to supply to all citizens, companies, and organisations with power supply 24-hours a day. SEV has sole responsibility for power quality and the power supply system in the Faroe Islands.


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  • Date : Ongoing
  • Categories : Case studies, G6, INCH Duo, INCH Home, INCH Pro, News, Public Charging
  • Client : SEV