Distributed energy solutions off the grid
Electrical hybrid power supply for remote locations
Industries, communities, and municipalities in remote locations are facing specific challenges that other energy consumers and providers don’t have: Often there is no grid access available, or the power grid is weak and power supply is fluctuating. Diesel generators are then commonly used as power generators, leading to high fuel and maintenance costs. Combining renewable energy sources, storage capacities, and grid management provides the energy intelligent way of powering remote locations.
Siemens project on Galápagos islands wins "The smarter E" award
Isabela hybrid power plant has been awarded as "outstandig project" at “The smarter E Europe” 2019. The panel of judges rewarded this demonstration of a complex renewable electricity solution, which replaces diesel and eliminates the associated environmental risks. Teaching local inhabitants about the maintenance and operation of the plant is part of the innovative approach to decentrally controlled applications.
Modular offering for remote locations
Remote locations with weak or without grid access require a specific mix of renewable and often fossil fuel energy sources as well as battery storage to ensure reliable power supply. The focus here is on reliable, yet sustainable power supply that is cost-efficient at the same time. An energy management system ensures power quality and optimizes energy efficiency.
Our solution for remote locations provides power supply for communities and industries on islands and in remote areas (off-grid) with high penetration renewables (wind, photovoltaics) and diesel off-setting. The result: minimized costs with maximum saving of fuel. It’s also useful for production sites with weak grid connection to enhance grid stability and power quality. Based on our decade long experience we support your project with comprehensive planning and implementation support as well as financing solutions that meet your requirements.
The right solution for your situation
Remote communities often have to rely on locally generated power to compensate for a missing or weak grid connection. Using fossil fuels, e.g. in diesel gensets, to generate sufficient power for businesses and resident is not only expensive but also harmful for the environment. An alternative option is to maximize the use of renewable energy sources in a local microgrid with a respective control system.
For example, Blue Lake Rancheria, a century-old Native American reservation in Northern California, uses a low-carbon community microgrid to power government offices, economic enterprises, and critical Red Cross safety shelter-in-place facilities across 100 acres. The microgrid uses decentralized energy resources and intelligent software to provide its residents and economic enterprises with reliable power without interruption.
Want to learn more about the solution for Blue Lake Rancheria?
Islands often use diesel generators to supply inhabitants and industries with power, because they lack connection to a mainland grid. This not only results in high CO₂ emissions but also requires frequent shipments of fossil fuels that may harm environment in case of a ship hazard.
With help from Siemens, islands like Ventotene (Italy) and Galápagos (Ecuador) managed to create consistently reliable and stable systems that would also increase the efficiency of the existing generators while making maximum use of renewable energies. Combined with an innovative storage system controlled by a microgrid controller this ensures lower fuel consumption, reduced emissions, and cost savings.
Want to learn more about the solutions?
Remote industries such as mining facilities in often harsh environments are especially energy hungry but suffer under weak power grids or don’t have grid access at all. Downtimes caused by power failures are extremely expensive for the operators, who are in need for more reliable solutions that work in remote locations.
Besides optimizing the power generation side it’s helpful to optimize grid control as well. For Mexican copper mine Buenavista del Cobre, Siemens provided energy backup, data network, and control software for the local substation in order to cut downtimes and reduce maintenance times.
Find out how Buenavista del Cobre managed to reduce outages and increased productivity
Economic Intelligence
Renewable energy sources can reduce costs for diesel generators. This change affects fuel consumption and logistics for fuel and leads to longer maintenance intervals and less maintenance costs thanks to a prolonged service life of diesel generators. Performance guarantees help to reduce your calculation and cost risks.
Supply Intelligence
Intelligent energy management and grid control help to increase resilience and autonomy for your remote location. Ensuring security of supply and availability with a local energy system allows for higher independence of your business. In addition, we help safeguard your processes with the required amount of power, e.g. in mining.
Sustainability Intelligence
Integration of renewables allows to avoid fossil fuels like diesel and reduce the pollution thanks to less CO₂ and NOx emissions. This reduces your overall environmental footprint, including effects like reduced engine noise and avoidance of ship hazards with harmful fuels.
