Capital Asset Useful Life Extension
Challenge: Relieve distribution assets of overload conditions caused by rapid development.
The pressure of development—from growing subdivisions, to gentrified historic neighborhoods and classic urban brick and mortar, to vacation enclaves—is stressing expansion of existing energy infrastructure. Often distribution equipment constraints stand in the way of growth in these areas or presents risk of failure to meet growing needs.
For example, a new school built to serve a growing suburban population is only just served by transformers at a substation. During peak demand, the additional load from the school results in a reduced margin of operational safety on transformers originally sized correctly, but inadequate for the greater demand. Ironically, this increased base load condition on the transformer severely limits future neighborhood growth as well.
The capital expenditure resolution to this problem is to replace the transformer with a larger unit—a very expensive solution.
Demand Energy Solution: Install and charge a Demand Shifter at the capital equipment location during off-peak hours then dispatch the stored energy to supplement critical peak demand.
For the example, the provider need simply install Demand Shifter energy storage capacity at the capital equipment location, charge it during off-peak hours, and boost the total operational safety margin up to an industry-acceptable level.
When demand from the school drops outside school hours, but peaks in the neighborhood, the device is ordered to discharge stored energy back to the grid, supporting development, defraying capital outlay, and maximizing the energy provider's investment. When the time comes for the transformer to be upgraded, the Demand Shifter can be moved to another location, extending value at a new site.
Value: Maintains safety margins, increase the reliability of existing infrastructure, and defer capital expenditure.
Capital Asset Useful Life Extension
Install the Demand Shifter throughout the service territory. Demand Shifters can ease loads and moderate use cycles of capital equipment, extending their useful life.