Sector
Transport
Decarbonising transport and transport infrastructure will be critical to achieving the UK’s net zero targets.
Railway Sation Microgrids
Railway stations can gain many benefits from setting themselves up as a Microgrid. Rural stations often have unused land nearby suitable for local generation which can help to deliver both improved resilience and a new opportunity for generating revenue.
In this Microgrid example, a Powerstar BESS is supporting our industry partner’s infrastructure to enable fast charging rails to deploy a charge to stationary trains. The BESS is charged over time from on-site solar PV generation or via the grid connection. Rural stations often have available unused land nearby which can be used for a solar farm. In an urban environment, train stations often have an abundance of roof space which can be used to house solar panels.
The on-site generation has a three-fold function: supplying the stations day-to-day use, charging the Battery Storage System and exporting power to the grid. The level of generation and demand on-site will dictate which operation is used at any one time, with intelligent energy management software used to optimise the use of power generated on-site.
The Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) is deployed via fast charging rails as trains stop at the station to rapidly charge the stationary train. Utilising the Battery Storage in this way reduces demand on the site’s grid connection, avoiding the risk for a costly increase to agreed supply capacity or even a new grid connection. It also allows for excess energy to be sold to the national grid through grid service contracts at times of peak demand.
Powerstar’s Voltage optimisation VO MAX system dynamically optimises the inbound power voltage to increase energy efficiency, lower energy bills and reduce damage from overvoltage on electrical equipment.
The whole microgrid is controlled by Powerstar’s Energy Management software which is used to enable power to be directed where it needs to be at the right time.
Speak to our team to find out how we can help you with your Microgrid
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