Oztek Celebrates Operation of World’s First 20MW Flywheel Plant
Posted on Thu, Jun 23, 2011
MERRIMACK, NH - Oztek Corp. (www.oztekcorp.com), a leader in developing and manufacturing technologically advanced inverter, DC/DC, and motor drive controls, celebrates the operation of the world’s first 20-megawatt flywheel energy storage plant in Stephenstown, New York. Oztek is a strategic partner and exclusive supplier of power control electronics to Beacon Power Corporation, owner and operator of the plant. The facility, which provides grid-stabilizing commercial frequency regulation services to the New York State electricity grid, is currently operating at its full 20 MW capacity.
Oztek’s grid tie inverter and sensorless motor control technologies enable the transfer of power to and from the utility grid within Beacon’s Smart Energy Matrix. Dave Zendzian, Oztek CTO, said: “Oztek is extremely proud of its contributions to this milestone in sustainable, utility scale, frequency regulation services. Developing hardware and software solutions to control the 2,800-pound flywheels, as well as operating hundreds of power inverters in parallel, has provided no shortage of technical challenges. Due to the high power nature of the installation, many of the algorithms employed in the controllers needed to be designed using simulation coupled with design verification on smaller scale hardware platforms. As such, there are always risks and challenges when you attempt to bring up the full scale system. To see the system up and running at full capacity is very satisfying for all of us.
Since 1997, Oztek has been providing innovative power control solutions for use in Utility Grid Tie and Distributed Energy systems. They continue to develop and build technologically advanced controls for demanding applications that also include: Hybrid Vehicles, Fuel Cells and Traction Drives. Oztek’s unique advantage of resident multi disciplinary expertise enables them to develop unprecedented solutions for demanding power control applications such as Beacon's Smart Energy Matrix.
About Beacon Power:
Beacon Power Corporation (www.beaconpower.com) designs, develops and commercializes advanced products and services to support stable, reliable and efficient electricity grid operation. The Company's primary business strategy is to build merchant plants and sell turnkey regulation facilities to meet both domestic and international grid requirements using its patented flywheel energy storage technology. Beacon's Smart Energy Matrix, which is now in production, operating and earning revenue, is a non-polluting, megawatt-level, utility-grade flywheel-based solution to provide sustainable frequency regulation services. Beacon is a publicly traded company with its research, development and manufacturing facility in the U.S.
About Oztek:
Oztek was recently ranked No. 16 in INC. magazine's fastest growing Computer & Electronics Companies. Located in Merrimack, NH, Oztek has been a leader in developing and manufacturing technologically advanced power control solutions for over a decade. Oztek's standard product offering includes control boards and power assemblies for Grid Tie Inverters, Voltage Mode Inverters, DC/DC Converters, Motor Drives, and SCR control applications. In addition to off-the-shelf options, Oztek provides complete custom OEM solutions, leveraging expertise in electrical, software, PCB, thermal, and packaging design.
Oztek is an affiliate of Semikron International.
Press Contact:
Dawn Zebuhr
603-546-0090 x128
dzebuhr@oztekcorp.com