SAN DIEGO, Feb. 18, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- Maxwell
Technologies, Inc. (Nasdaq: MXWL), today announced that Freqcon
GmbH, a German developer and distributor of renewable energy
systems, has deployed an energy storage system for the Tallaght
Smart Grid Testbed in Ireland that
uses Maxwell ultracapacitors and lithium-ion batteries to support
grid stability in both residential and industrial settings.
Freqcon's Microgrid Stabilizer addresses the electricity
intermittency challenges that accompany high renewable energy
penetration.
As Ireland works toward its
goal of 40 percent renewable energy generation by 2020, the
Tallaght Smart Grid Testbed, run by the South Dublin County Council
and the Micro Electricity Generation Association (MEGA), will
demonstrate how energy storage can minimize electricity
distribution issues and grid instability. With multiple sources of
energy generation, the grid network in Ireland must deal with voltage and frequency
issues before distributing the electricity to end users.
"Smart grid projects are a priority in Ireland, and, depending on the local set-up,
the grid challenges can vary greatly," said Dudley Stewart, secretary general of MEGA.
"Freqcon's Microgrid Stabilizer can be customized for individual
projects, and the combination of batteries and Maxwell
ultracapacitors is a promising solution. We are looking forward to
seeing more of these systems deployed in the field in the near
future."
The testbed uses Freqcon's Microgrid Stabilizer for voltage and
frequency stabilization, with a combination of lithium-ion
batteries and ultracapacitors for active power support in the
grid's distributed network. The Maxwell ultracapacitors perform
fast functions such as frequency response, while the batteries are
used for peak shifting and operating reserve.
Norbert Hennchen, CEO of Freqcon,
said, "The market for grid-tied energy storage systems is growing,
and fast frequency response is a valuable system service to the
grid. Ultracapacitors are the ideal technology to do this. Based on
our long-standing relationship with Maxwell and our experience with
ultracapacitors in pitch systems for wind turbines, we're bringing
this technology to the space of grid stabilization."
Dr. Franz Fink, president and CEO
of Maxwell, said, "As the European Union, China, the United
States and other countries around the world work toward
their renewable energy consumption and generation targets, ensuring
optimal renewable energy production will be critical. With a
reduced number of fossil-fuel-based synchronous generators in
operation, grid stability is becoming a challenge, and we expect
ultracapacitors will play an important role in addressing this
issue."
Unlike batteries, which produce and store energy by means of a
chemical reaction, ultracapacitors store energy in an electric
field. This electrostatic energy storage mechanism enables
ultracapacitors to charge and discharge in as little as fractions
of a second, perform normally over a broad temperature range (-40
degrees Celsius to +65 degrees Celsius), operate reliably through 1
million or more charge/discharge cycles and resist shock and
vibration. Maxwell offers ultracapacitor cells ranging in
capacitance from one to 3,400 farads and multi-cell modules ranging
from 12 to 160 volts. For more information on Maxwell's
ultracapacitor products, please visit Maxwell.com.
Additional Maxwell Technologies information:
- Maxwell Technologies on Twitter:
https://twitter.com/Maxwell_Tech
- Maxwell Technologies on Facebook: http://on.fb.me/10e2nPA
- Maxwell Technologies on LinkedIn: http://linkd.in/Z4737Y
- Maxwell Technologies on Google+:
https://plus.google.com/+MaxwellTech/
- More information on ultracapacitors:
http://www.maxwell.com/ultracapacitors
About Maxwell: Maxwell is a global leader in the
development and manufacture of innovative, cost-effective energy
storage and power delivery solutions. Our ultracapacitor products
provide safe and reliable power solutions for applications in
consumer and industrial electronics, transportation and
telecommunications. Our high-voltage grading and coupling
capacitors help to ensure the safety and reliability of electric
utility infrastructure and other applications involving transport,
distribution and measurement of high-voltage electrical energy. Our
radiation-mitigated microelectronic products include power modules,
memory modules and single board computers that incorporate powerful
commercial silicon for superior performance and high reliability in
aerospace applications. For more information, please visit our
website: www.maxwell.com.
About Freqcon: Freqcon is specialized in the development
and distribution of electrical equipment for renewable energy
systems. The Freqcon products have proven their reliability in the
harshest conditions from the Taklamakan Desert to Antarctica. One of our core competences is in
the field of highly efficient MW-scale power converters based on
leading edge technology. All components are sourced from well-known
industrial brands with worldwide availability. With more than 15GW
of installed capacity in the wind industry over the last 20 years
we are now bringing this expertise to the energy storage market.
For more information, please visit our website:
www.freqcon.com.
Maxwell Technologies Contacts:
Media:
Sylvie Tse, Metis Communications: +1
(617) 236-0500; maxwell@metiscomm.com
Investor: Michael Sund: +1
(858) 503-3233; msund@maxwell.com
Freqcon Contact:
Klaus
Harder: +353 (0)353 71 966 3003; k.harder@freqcon.com
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SOURCE Maxwell Technologies, Inc.