ABB to install microgrid at Vadodara facility, boosting push for renewables
Vadodara, India, Oct 5, 2016 – The solar-based microgrid will provide uninterrupted power supply to ABB’s largest manufacturing facility
ABB today announced that it will install a fully integrated and standardized microgrid at its Vadodara facility in Gujarat, India to help boost renewable energy generation while reducing dependency on fossil fuel. This microgrid, with a rooftop photo voltaic field at the company’s biggest manufacturing location in India with around 3,000 employees, will help ensure uninterrupted power supply.
Microgrids are considered a viable and cost-efficient solution to not only improve access to electricity, but also to address other pressing issues related to energy supply, including growing demand, climate change, energy security and reliability for both industries and villages. In 2015 ABB exhibited the first multisource microgrid pilot at its Automation and Power World event in New Delhi, India. Over a period of 3 days, 1,350 kg of CO2 was saved and enough electricity was generated to power approximately 12,000 rural households.
“Microgrid technology assumes greater significance for India as it provides access to electricity through localized generation and consumption as well as reliable and resilient power supply to urban campuses and industrial operations,” said Sanjeev Sharma, CEO & Managing Director, ABB India Ltd. “There is no better way to demonstrate our commitment to green and reliable power than installing a microgrid for our campus and contribute to the nation’s vision of clean energy and 500 MW of microgrids in the next five years, which is also in full alignment with ABB’s Next Level strategy.”
ABB’s containerized microgrid installation in Vadodara includes a 600 kW rooftop solar photovoltaic (PV) field and a PowerStore Battery grid stabilizing system together with a Microgrid Plus dedicated control system, to help maximize the use of solar energy. Energy generated during the day will augment power from the grid and reduce dependency on diesel generators in case of grid outages. It results in substantial savings on electricity bills while helping to reduce carbon footprint. A cloud-based remote service system will be deployed for the operations and maintenance of the microgrid in keeping with ABB’s Internet of Things, Services and People (IoTSP) approach.
Vadodara is ABB’s largest facility in India and manufactures critical power equipment like transformers, high voltage products, distribution relays, primary gas-insulated switchgear, motors, generators and turbochargers for a variety of national projects. ABB is a pioneer in microgrid technology with more than 30 global installations across a diverse range of applications serving remote communities, islands, utilities and industrial campuses.
ABB (www.abb.com) is a leading global technology company in power and automation that enables utility, industry, and transport & infrastructure customers to improve their performance while lowering environmental impact. The ABB Group of companies operates in roughly 100 countries and employs about 135,000 people.