Completion of project by State Grid Changzhou Power Supply Company increases energy efficiency

Construction on the Jinhu Road Base Cold and Heat Electric Light Storage Intelligent Microgrid constructed by State Grid Changzhou Power Supply Company was completed recently in Jintan district, Changzhou city, Jiangsu province.

This project applies electric-steam conversion and dynamic storage technologies for its microgrid systems, combining ice storage cooling (water heat storage) air conditioning, electric energy storage, photovoltaic power generation, charging piles and other forms of equipment within the low-voltage flexible and direct interconnection devices between substations. It acts as a new model for the complementary utilization of multiple energies aimed at integrating new energy consumption, improving energy efficiency, reducing the cost of steam for industrial production and assisting in achieving the nation's dual carbon goals.

Due to the intermittent, fluctuating and random nature of renewable energy output, in recent years, State Grid Changzhou Power Supply Company has strengthened technological research and development, engaged in industry-academia research cooperation, and enhanced market promotion to innovate and expanded the comprehensive electric-thermal coupling energy business.

Addressing issues in the source-network-load-storage aspects during the advancement of new power systems, it has proposed a source-load-storage coordination mechanism and constructed a new model of electric-steam conversion and energy storage coordinated by multiple sources such as off-peak electricity, green electricity, waste heat and steam. This has effectively reduced steam costs, promoted innovation in industrial heating and significantly increased the proportion of distributed photovoltaic power consumed locally.

The intelligent control and operation strategies of the cloud-edge coordinated microgrid developed during this project's development can track and predict photovoltaic power generation and help utilize off-peak and green electricity, reducing industrial steam production costs by more than 50 percent. Some enterprises can save energy costs by nearly 450,000 yuan ($63,182) annually after using it. Additionally, by utilizing air conditioning waste heat recovery to produce steam, around 250,000 kWh of electricity can be saved per year. Furthermore, through steam decarbonization, the proportion of photovoltaic green electricity consumption increases by 35 percent, leading to a reduction of approximately 160 metric tons of carbon emissions annually. The adaptive interaction system of the source-network-heat-load established by the project achieves grid-heat coupling, adjustable electric loads through various forms of energy storage and release and a multi-energy complementary system.

In the next phase, State Grid Changzhou Power Supply Company will continue to improve technological innovation, promote the application of technological achievements and explore hydrogen-electric-thermal coupling technology. It will establish a regional energy monitoring platform, aggregate adjustable load resources of industrial and commercial microgrid systems, form a regional adjustable resource pool, participate in grid regulation, promote the construction of new power systems, and further establish a comprehensive energy service system integrating operation and maintenance. Therefore, a brand-new commercial operation model in the industrial steam field will be established to help companies reduce energy costs, enhance energy efficiency and reduce carbon emissions.