The first superconducting substation will be built to explore China's new energy grid

The first superconducting substation in China, which can significantly improve the reliability and safety of power supply, was built and safely operated in Baiyin, Gansu Province. The grid-connected issue that restricts the bottleneck of China's new energy development will carry out some technological exploration through this substation.

“This is China’s first superconducting substation and the world’s first superconducting substation,” said Xiao Liye, director of the Institute of Electrical Engineering at the Chinese Academy of Sciences. “It marks the first time in the world that China has taken the lead in realizing the operation of a complete superconducting substation system.”

On April 19th, China's first superconducting substation undertaken by the Institute of Electrical Engineering of the Chinese Academy of Sciences was officially put into operation in Baiyin, Gansu.

According to the Institute of Electrical Engineering of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, this substation has an operating voltage rating of 10.5 kilowatts and integrates superconducting energy storage systems, superconducting current limiters, superconducting transformers, and three-phase AC high temperature superconducting cables. The conductive force device can greatly improve the safety of the power grid and the quality of the power supply, effectively reducing system losses and reducing the floor space.

"Now Japan, the United States, Europe and other countries and regions are also conducting research and demonstration of superconducting power devices." Xiao Liye said, "But the integration of many superconducting power devices into a complete superconducting substation, China is the first time in the world ".

The reporter also learned from the Institute of Electrical Engineering of the Chinese Academy of Sciences that among the four superconducting technologies used in this superconducting substation, the superconducting energy storage system is the world’s first high-temperature superconducting energy storage system that operates in parallel with the network; The current transformer is the first high-temperature superconducting current limiter in China and the fourth in the world; the superconducting transformer is the first high-temperature superconducting transformer in China and the second in the world and is currently the largest in the world. The amorphous alloy transformer; three-phase AC high-temperature superconducting cable is the longest three-phase AC high-temperature superconducting cable developed in the world.

“The current China's only distribution-grade superconducting substation has acquired nearly 70 completely independent intellectual property rights in its core and key technologies.” Xiao Liye said, “The latest and most advanced technology in superconducting power technology in China has been integrated for nearly 10 years. Research and development results."

Li Jinghai, vice president of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, believes that the completion and operation of the Baiyin Superconducting Substation will have an exemplary significance for China’s future power grid construction dominated by new energy.

China is currently one of the fastest growing countries in the world for new energy. However, compared with the high speed of wind power installation, the grid connection problem of wind power is becoming increasingly prominent, and many wind turbines are idle because they cannot be connected to the grid. The reporter learned that an important reason is that technical problems such as low-voltage ride-through need to be further overcome.

“The electromagnetic energy stored in the superconducting energy storage system in the superconducting substation can output high power in a short time. The superiority in solving the problems such as the integrated control of new energy generation grid-connected transient stability and power quality is very obvious.” Li Jinghai said.