Digital transformation in power management is delivering more competitive solar power for 500 MW of new facilities, enough electricity to power 250,000 households
ABB is supporting the transition from fossil fuels to renewables in Europe, supplying smart power systems to one of Spain’s largest new solar power plants. The company’s digitization of power management is lowering barriers to adoption for renewables, a key element in ABB Electrification’s Mission to Zero.
ABB is supplying low-voltage solutions to manage the clean energy produced at new, large-scale solar farms under construction by Solarcentury in Extremadura and Andalusia, Spain.
ABB technology will be monitoring and controlling the energy flowing from more than a million solar panels at the sites. With a combined 500 MW of solar power, the plants will be able to produce enough electricity to power 250,000 households, reducing CO2 emissions by around 285,000 tonnes per year.
ABB’s global product manager for ABB Ability Ekip UP, Fabio Monachesi, said: “ABB enables companies and communities around the world to access cleaner, smarter power, aiding the adoption of renewables. ABB’s solution for the new generation of 800V AC photovoltaic systems reduces hardware costs, increasing the viability of solar projects.”
At the heart of the solution is ABB’s Ekip UP smart power unit. The device makes facilities smart and connected, while improving the cost-effectiveness of these long-term assets. The highly replicable solution reduces the need for additional circuit breakers, wiring and assembly work, reducing capital investment costs by up to 70 percent.
Spain is a leader in the deployment of photovoltaic plants. The country has installed more than 7,000 MW of solar power and continues to invest in photovoltaic facilities. Solarcentury is leading the development of a new generation of solar power plants built without public subsidies – and has installed more than 1.6 GW of solar power globally.
Steven Taylor, Solarcentury’s Chief Operating Officer, said: “Solarcentury is committed to making solar power more accessible. Working with ABB on the low-voltage systems that control solar farms gives us a more innovative, efficient solution that costs less to install and operate. And, by sourcing the complete solution from ABB, we have a trusted global partner committed to improving the reliability of the plants for their entire lifetime.”
