New Technology Adds Value to Solar Energy.

Reproduced with permission of Rajiv Varma.

From Paul Morden, the Sarnia Observer.

A research partnership between Western University and Bluewater Power has resulted in the development of new technology designed to put solar farms to work at night -- increasing the stability of the electricity grid, preventing blackouts and allowing connection of more renewable energy such as wind projects.

Western Engineering professor Rajiv Varma spoke at an event held Tuesday in Sarnia to celebrate the PV-STATCOM technology his research group at the London university developed over nearly seven years, in partnership with the Sarnia-based electricity utility.

Tim Vanderheide, vice-president of Bluewater Power Distribution Corporation, said the utility played a small role in the new technology he described as “a game changer.”

The technology was demonstrated at a small solar panel system that sits next to the office of Bluewater Power, the electricity utility in Sarnia which is also home to the 80-MW Sarnia Solar Project.

“Solar farms, they are sleeping at night, and the entire asset remains unutilized,” Varma said.

The technology his group developed can add “a tremendous amount of value” to solar facilities and “it can actually help utilities to solve many of the problems” at a fraction of the cost of other technology, he said.

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