Improving power delivery through the application of superconducting magnetic energy storage (SMES)

Superconducting magnetic energy storage systems for power system applications

“…At the same time, the authors of [1] also proposed some power system applications of SMES. Reference [2] summarized the results of studies of SMES to improve transmission system performance. Luongo [3] reviewed a history of SMES development in the US and summarized ongoing SMES developments in US, Europe, and Japan.…”

“…Most operating guidelines require that this spinning reserve can be as much as 7% of the system load or largest single contingency. Since SMES can store a significant amount of energy, with sufficient numbers of SMES, they can provide enough 'spinning reserve' to satisfy the requirement until gas turbine generators can be brought online [2].…”

Power system applications of superconducting magnetic energy storage systems

“…This idea is to charge the superconducting magnet with the surplus generation of the basic load units during off-peak time, and discharge to the ac power system during peak time. The first superconducting power-grid application to achieve full commercial status is SMES in 1981, which is American Superconductor's SMES system for power quality and grid stability and was located along the 500 kV Pacific Intertie that interconnects California and the Northwest [24]. This application of SMES demonstrated the feasibility of SMES to improve transmission capacity by damping inter-area modal oscillations.…”

“…SMES systems developed and being developed in some countries also were listed [3]. Torre and Eckroad (2001) summarized the studies results of SMES to improve transmission system performance [24]. The interest of this paper is also concerned on power system applications of SMES.…”

“…Since SMES can store a significant amount of energy it is possible to rely on SMES to provide enough "spinning reserve" to meet the requirement until gas turbine generators can be brought on-line. Providing "spinning reserve" with SMES is much more efficient since it is a virtually lossless form of storage, whereas providing spinning reserve with generation has significant losses and high operating costs [24].…”