{"id":576,"date":"2020-05-15T13:15:32","date_gmt":"2020-05-15T11:15:32","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogottprod.wpengine.com\/how-weather-data-helps-to-improve-our-power-grid\/"},"modified":"2021-08-10T18:32:14","modified_gmt":"2021-08-10T16:32:14","slug":"how-weather-data-helps-to-improve-the-power-grid","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blog.otthydromet.com\/en\/how-weather-data-helps-to-improve-the-power-grid\/","title":{"rendered":"How weather data helps to improve our power grid"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t
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Two workers are dangling from a thin steel frame, 25 meters above the ground. They are hanging from an overhead line pylon, secured by a harness like rock climbers in a wall. At lofty heights, they pick up a solar panel that comes towards them, attached to a rope. Electricity on a power pylon? \u2013 At second glance, it becomes clear what the climbing-experienced workers need the additional power supply for. The solar panel will power a weather station including an anemometer and pyranometer. This setup, put together by OTT HydroMet, will monitor the microclimate around the pylon, especially around the lines.<\/p>\n

Precise meteorological data are a prerequisite for weather-dependent overhead line operation, for short: dynamic line rating (DLR). Some network operators are already using it to optimize their power grids and exploit the capacities of their lines. This has become necessary due to the natural fluctuations to which renewable energy sources are subjected.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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Preparing the power grid for the energy system transformation<\/h3>

On particularly sunny or windy days, photovoltaic and wind power plants feed a lot of electricity into the grid within a short time. In order not to overload the power grid during such dynamic peaks, Germany is building new power lines, mostly from the wind farms on the coast down to the south. Existing lines will be reinforced with more lines and better use will be made of the currently available grid. The so-called NOVA-principle* (NOVA is a German acronym that stands for \u2018grid optimization, before reinforcement, before expansion\u2019) bundles these measures, one of the fastest to implement is dynamic line rating. Depending on the weather conditions, the lines can thus handle up to 50 percent more current flow.<\/p>

Within the framework of a pilot project, OTT HydroMet has developed a complete solution for dynamic line rating. The scene described above occurred in July 2019 and since then the weather station has been collecting data without any significant failures. \u201cOur station has continuously recorded measurements and transmitted the values\u201d, says Udo Kronm\u00fcller, responsible project manager at OTT HydroMet. \u201cThe mild winter has made the pilot phase even easier. We are very satisfied with the results and have gained valuable experience\u201d.<\/p>

Coordinated dynamic line rating from a single source<\/h3>

The data and experiences from the project have been incorporated into the further development of the pilot setup. It consists almost entirely of components from the OTT HydroMet product portfolio and therefore matches perfectly:<\/p>