Posted by Jussi Pikkarainen on - 31 July 2020

Start-stop systems in today's passenger cars are almost always powered by lead-acid or AGM (Absorbent Glass Mat) batteries, but the relatively high cranking power and frequent start-stop cycles degrade batteries quickly. In addition, poor low temperature performance limits the functionality of battery-based solutions. From an environmental standpoint,...

Posted by Arnaud Castaignet on - 24 July 2020

When it comes to electromobility and alternative power sources for engines, battery electric vehicles aren’tthe only technology that experts are expecting a lot from. Hydrogen fuel cell vehicles also present a verypromising solution towards mobility without carbon emissions.

Posted by Jussi Pikkarainen on - 23 July 2020

It is sometimes difficult for a layperson to understand why we simply cannot replace fossil fuel energy production with wind and solar and be done with it. Well, one answer to that question is "inertia". In a traditional grid, the rotating masses of spinning generators sync with the frequency of the system. The rotating masses store inertia as rotating...

Posted by Jussi Pikkarainen on - 01 July 2020

As solar, wind, and other renewable energy methods become more prevalent, micro- and offgrid installations will suffer from frequency instability and high risk of blackouts. Changes in wind and/or solar energy production have an impact on the frequency a grid can deliver. Also, if the exact amount of electricity being used is not matched by generation,...

Posted by Jussi Pikkarainen on - 26 June 2020

Frequency deviations are caused by imbalances in load in generation and lead to high risk of load shedding or grid black outs. The higher the rate of renewable energy production is of the energy mix, the more of a problem the variation of frequency can become.

Posted by Jussi Pikkarainen on - 16 June 2020

Electric machines such as servo presses or simulator test equipment need high power for short durations, but there are challenges:

Posted by Jussi Pikkarainen on - 11 June 2020

Short-term UPS solutions are essential in industries where voltage dips and micro-interruptions can cause severe issues in manufacturing processes. This is especially the case with for example semiconductor manufacturing, the pharmaceutical industry, or even bottling plants. A single disturbance event can result in millions of euros in losses due to...

Posted by Jussi Pikkarainen on - 02 June 2020

A popular use case for gensets is back-up power, which means that they need to start reliably and come online quickly when the need for power arises. Most often gensets are started with lead-acid batteries - a technology not known for its reliability. Skeleton Technologies' SkelStart Engine Start Module provides a solution: reliable, high-power solution...

Posted by Jussi Pikkarainen on - 26 May 2020

Random high load variations can cause severe issues for Variable Speed Generators, or VSGs. These machines are used in renewable power generation (the application of interest in this blog post), but also in marine and shipbuilding, oil & gas industry, telecommunications, stand-by power, and a large number of other industries and applications.

Posted by Jussi Pikkarainen on - 19 May 2020

"Wind and solar will soon be cheaper than coal in all big markets around the world", reports The Guardian, based on the analysis of Carbon Tracker Initiative, and we are seeing similar headlines weekly, if not daily.