FIMER TO POWER ASIA'S FIRST AUTOMATIC FREQUENCY CONTROL INITIATIVE

MAY 25, 2021

• FIMER has partnered with Taiwan Stock Exchange (TSE)-listed smart energy conglomerate Tatung (Tatung:2371) to supply battery energy storage systems (BESS) for Taiwan Power Company (Taipower)’s automatic frequency control (AFC) initiative.

• FIMER will supply its PVS980-58BC bidirectional converter to stabilize the grid which is exposed to the intermittent nature of renewable energy.

• FIMER’s UL 1741 certified PVS980-58BC bidirectional converter fulfills the UL 9540 Energy Storage System (ESS) requirements, having undergone a stringent stress-testing process at its labs in Finland, Italy and India before being deployed.

As Taiwan accelerates its adoption of renewable energy, Taipower, a state-owned electricity supplier to its main and offshore islands, is set to launch Asia’s first automatic frequency control (AFC) initiative through the application of battery energy storage systems (BESS). The initiative has been likened to a “virtual power plant” which in addition to significantly reducing carbon emissions, will generate 15MW (megawatts) of electricity per second, offer a rate of frequency control three to five times faster than that of large-scale generator and bring greater stability to Taiwan’s power supply.
 
In collaboration with TSE-listed smart energy conglomerate Tatung (Tatung:2371), Italian solar inverter manufacturer FIMER has been selected to provide its BESS solution, which will help the power grid accommodate fluctuations resulting from renewable energy generation.

While renewables such as solar and wind energy significantly reduce the amount of carbon emissions, final total power output is often subject to varying natural conditions such as the weather. To accommodate a high penetration of variable renewable energy, FIMER’s PVS980-58BC helps increase grid flexibility and improve the integration of renewable resources. 

It will play an instrumental role in stabilizing the grid to minimize energy fluctuations. Upon receiving a command from the Energy Management System (EMS) in the event of an unplanned generator outage, the PVS980-58BC will minimize power disruptions by fully performing power charging and discharging within 20 milliseconds (ms) of transfer time.

“We are honored to partner with Tatung in delivering our energy storage solutions across various locations in Taiwan as part of Taipower’s initiative. FIMER’s UL 1741 certified  PVS980-58BC bidirectional converter fulfils the UL 9540 Energy Storage System (ESS) requirements, having undergone a stringent stress-testing process at our labs in Finland, Italy and India before being deployed. It is engineered to power utility-scale projects safely and reliably even under the harshest weather conditions, whether in sub-zero temperatures or extreme heat,” said FIMER Taiwan Country Manager Vincent Wu.
 
“We are proud to provide high quality bidirectional converters (Power Conversion System, PCS) to enhance Taipower’s AFC initiative and help customers comply with the recent major electricity consumer regulation. With Taiwan fast ramping up the adoption of renewables, FIMER stands ready to support the market in attaining its goal of generating 20% of its domestic electricity through renewable energy by 2025.” 

¹ UL 1741 refers to Standard for Inverters, Converters, Controllers and Interconnection System Equipment for Use with Distributed Energy Resources