News – Hesstec

Spartan project

Seville, Spain, 24 January 2019

Hybrid Energy Storage Solutions Ltd. (hereinafter called HESStec) is member of the SPARTAN project, under the H2020 Clean Sky Joint Undertaking, grant agreement No 821381. This disruptive project aims to develop and demonstrate a highly robust and reliable Intelligent Power Modules (IPMs) for the power conditioning of multiple electrical sources, optimal integrated into the electrical power generation system of the aircraft.

On the 5th of December, HESStec participated in the kick-off meeting of this Project, developed in consortium with Edair Technologies (Spain), CEN Solutions (Spain), Politechnika Warszawska (Poland), the University de Seville (Spain), and Safran (France) as Topic Leader.

In this project HESStec will participate in the design of a higher hierarchical controller based on a hardware/software architecture scheme with a multi-core approach (FPGA-DSP-ARM) that fully control each Intelligent Power Module with a high bandwidth capacity. The developed control electronics includes advanced features, that includes protection and failure management functions for a primary and fast response, and the possibility for implementing autonomous and/or emergency strategies.

The optimal operation of a complex power conversion stage is a challenge that can be overcome with a good design of the proper modulation and control techniques. The objective of the controller has to be focused on tracking the controller targets accurately .

HESStec, through its experience in the energy sector, put its well-proven control electronics technologies at the service of the project, improving the control capacity of the high number of devices that make up the multilevel power stages. The objective is to achieve the maximum efficiency and minimum power losses improving the output waveforms quality of power stages.

Proyecto HL – Powertrain

Sevilla, 06/10/2021

HYBRID ENERGY STORAGE SOLUTIONS SL (HESStec) ha recibido una ayuda de 96.988,80 € para su proyecto de Investigación y Desarrollo “INTEGRACIÓN Y FABRICACIÓN DE UN PROTOTIPO DEL SISTEMA PROPULSIVO DE HYPERLOOP MEDIANTE UN TURBORREACTOR Y UN TREN DE POTENCIA DE VEHÍCULO ELÉCTRICO.” (INNEST/2021/344), a través del programa de Proyectos estratégicos en cooperación de la Agencia Valenciana de Innovación.

El objetivo principal es la implementación de un prototipo funcional y un gemelo digital del sistema propulsivo de hyperloop mediante un turborreactor y un tren de potencia de vehículo eléctrico para su validación. Los resultados del proyecto tendrán una aplicación en el espectro de la movilidad eléctrica, especialmente de alta potencia.

El 100% de la financiación de esta ayuda, conforme a lo dispuesto en el Presupuesto de la Generalitat para 2021, vigente a la fecha de la firma de este documento, se realiza a través del Fondo Europeo de Desarrollo Regional (FEDER) Programa Operativo 2014-2020 REACT-EU.

Desde HESStec se agradece el apoyo a la Generalitat Valenciana y a la Agencia Valenciana de la Innovación.

Proyecto HL – Powertrain

Sevilla, 06/10/2021

Desde HESStec se agradece el apoyo a la Generalitat Valenciana y a la Agencia Valenciana de la Innovación.

The Spanish-based HESStec raises 2.3 million euros to boost energy storage solutions, key enabling technology in the actual energy transition

Valencia (Spain), 24th May 2021

HESStec (Hybrid Energy Storage Solutions S.L.), a pioneer in the development of energy management systems and hybrid energy storage solutions, has completed a series A investment round for 2.3 million euros, which will boost its business growth and technological progress. With the completion of this transaction, the company takes a step forward to become a global supplier of this type of solutions, whose objective is the cost-effective integration of storage into the energy mix.

HESStec reaches this new stage thanks to the support of leading companies in the energy sector: Elewit, the technology platform of the Red Eléctrica Group; Quantum, a corporate venturing vehicle of Capital Energy, and RIC Energy, a renewable project developer. The boost received from these new investors will ensure the company’s financing to guarantee robust and sustainable business development and growth. It is also an opportunity to take advantage of the synergies between the partners that have supported this initiative.

HESStec is an energy management and energy storage solution provider, based on proprietary and patented hardware and software technologies for the optimization and monetization of energy storage. HESStec is based on Valencia and Seville, where the company has its corporate office and technological center, respectively. The company will inaugurate next month its advanced grid laboratory in Valencia, as part of its growth and development strategies. Likewise, in the next 15 months HESStec plans to double its human force with the incorporation of new highly qualified professionals.

“The goal of supporting the energy transition towards a more sustainable and eco-friendly world is imbedded in the HESStec DNA. The development of efficient and cost-effective energy storage solutions, both in their design and operation, will enable a new generation of power grids with a higher penetration of renewable sources and a more optimized use of solar and wind resources,” says Eugenio Dominguez, CEO and founder of HESStec.

“The investment in HESStec supports the main strategy of the Red Eléctrica Group, which reinforces the role of the TSO as a driver of the energy transition towards a more decarbonized and sustainable power grid, through the integration of renewables sources along with enabling technologies that will help us to provide flexibility and manageability to the electrical grid. This will allow us to explore the full potential of energy storage systems to ensure the robustness and grid quality in scenarios with a high penetration of renewable generation sources, both from the perspective of the storage systems, that could be an integrated part of the transmission grid, as well as to meet the requirements of the system operator for those storage facilities, stand-alone or in combination with generation, connected to the transmission grid, underpinning a safe and efficient emission-free model,” says Silvia Bruno, director of Elewit.

Erika Escolar, Director of Corporate Venture at Capital Energy, points out that “at Capital Energy we work with the firm determination of boosting our economy and society, contributing to the creation of a new energy model where storage solutions play a key role for the efficient integration of our large renewable platform in the electricity sector, and allow us to offer a quality service as a competitive, digital, sustainable and reliable supplier to our end customers. In Capital Energy Quantum we believe that the investment in HESStec responds to this purpose, and also contributes to our goal of creating a portfolio of EnergyTech startups with the potential to transform the energy sector”.

“The current energy market shows a clear trend towards electrification and a significant increase of the integration of renewable energy sources with intermittent and unmanageable generation profiles. Given this context, it is becoming increasingly necessary to provide system resilience to maintain the quality of service. That ability to move the energy generated in short periods of time can be provided by intelligently controlled storage systems, and that is where we are confident that HESStec has a lot to say,” says José Luis Moya, CEO and founder of RIC Energy.

HESStec, a cutting-edge actor in the Energy transition

The actual energy transition is causing the birth of new grid assets and energy models that, in turn, imply the need for enabling technologies, such as energy storage, that provide flexibility and manageability to grid operators and promote greater efficiency of their assets, both operationally and economically. In this way, energy storage and control and management systems will enable to take advantage of existing grid infrastructures, reducing the investment and environmental impact involved in the deployment of new lines, as well as enabling the cost-effective integration of electric vehicles. These enabling technologies will boost the integration of new energy vectors such as hydrogen, turning them into a feasible reality.

Thus, HESStec offers turnkey energy storage solutions (SHAD®) and grid asset management and optimization systems (InMS™), applied to a wide variety of scenarios: integration of renewables; utility grade applications; support for electric vehicles and multiple applications for microgrids, both isolated and connected. “HESStec’s smart solutions, with energy storage as a key element, will enable this transition to a cleaner energy model and a more environmentally responsible world,” adds Dominguez.

The hybridization of different energy storage technologies in the same solution, as well as the integration of control algorithms and operation and degradation models of grid assets, allows HESStec to offer solutions with significant reductions, both Capex and Opex, while increasing the profitability of energy storage by expanding the portfolio of grid services.

HESStec presenta su innovador laboratorio de ensayos para el desarrollo y validación de soluciones de almacenamiento energético para la nueva generación de redes eléctricas

Valencia a 9 de marzo de 2022

HESStec (Hybrid Energy Storage Solutions S.L.), empresa pionera en el desarrollo e integración de soluciones de almacenamiento energético y optimización de activos de red ha presentado esta mañana su laboratorio de pruebas avanzadas (Advanced Grid Lab) ante la visita de la Secretaria Autonómica y la Directora General de Industria de la Comunidad Valenciana.

En un mercado eléctrico altamente regulado, la realización de pruebas de sistemas de almacenamiento y optimización de activos en escenarios operacionales reales, para posterior validación y certificación, se plantea vital para conseguir integrar estas innovadoras tecnologías en el ecosistema eléctrico, alineándose con los objetivos del PNIEC¹ y del ELP², apoyando, por ende, a la actual transición energética.

El objetivo final de este laboratorio es facilitar el desarrollo de tecnologías de control y almacenamiento avanzadas que den respuesta a los retos actuales y futuros del sistema eléctrico, así como acelerando su validación y certificación, a la misma vez que se aumenta la confianza de los usuarios finales en este tipo de soluciones.

El laboratorio cuenta con 1,5 MW de sistemas de potencia conectados, así como con buses de corriente alterna y continua, y una capacidad de recircular hasta 500 kW de potencia. También integra un sistema de almacenamiento híbrido, integrando baterías de litio de 200 kW/200 kWh y ultracondensadores 250kW/60 seg.

La unidad de control general del laboratorio está basada en la plataforma InMS™, que se encarga configurar la microrred para la emulación de entornos reales de funcionamiento, que facilitarán la capacidad de emular distintos eventos como desviaciones de tensión y/o frecuencia, desbalanceo entre cargas y fuentes de generación, así como funcionamiento en isla y la capacidad de los sistemas de almacenamiento para proveer de Grid forming y Black start entre otros servicios. La capacidad de emular fuentes renovables permite también validar un amplio porfolio de servicios de red, comprobando así el potencial de las plantas híbridas, con el objeto de maximizar su rentabilidad funcional y económica.

Según Eugenio Dominguez, CEO de HESStec, “esta infraestructura nos da la oportunidad de responder a la necesidad de validar soluciones de almacenamiento antes de ser implantadas en escenarios reales validando su funcionalidad, y generando confianza en el potencial y los beneficios que esta tecnología ofrece a los distintos actores de la cadena de valor del mercado energético”, comenta Eugenio Dominguez

SPARTAN project – Control boards for the next generation of multilevel converters for aerospace applications

The SPARTAN Project (Smart multilevel Power conditioning for AeRonautical elecTricAl uNit), in which HESStec has participated together with EDAIR TECHNOLOGIES S.L. (Spain), POLITECHNIKA WARSZAWSKA (Poland), UNIVERSIDAD DE SEVILLA (Spain), and CEN Solutions (Spain), is now in its final stage, bringing to an end an innovative Project that can have a great impact on the paradigm shift generated by the More Electrical Aircraft (MEA)

HESStec’s contribution to the project is focused on the development of the electronic control platform for multilevel converters, communications system, and associated software/firmware. The electronic system is developed based on a master/slave architecture, which allows the modularity of the solution, adding the necessary slave modules to address the number of branches and levels required.

At the processing level, a platform based on a double topology is developed, an ARM core in charge of communications with SCADA, interface and state machine, and a sizing based on 7 DSP units, one working as Master and 6 as Slave, being able to control 3 semiconductor branches of 12 cells each, following the modular development philosophy to allow system resizing.

The analog acquisition is based on analog-to-digital converters (ADC’s) with high sampling speed, acquiring and processing cell voltage signals, semi-branch currents, and semiconductor temperatures, in switching time. All analog signals incorporate galvanic or optical isolation, since they are measurements with different reference voltages.

The Master – Slave communications system is based on RS485 and CAN Bus, in addition to a synchronization signal via fiber optics. The optimization of communications is crucial in this type of modular architectures, as it directly affects the maximum switching frequency of the system. In the choice of communications buses, in addition to the maximum admissible bit rate, sufficient immunity to the electromagnetic noise inherent to switched power systems has been taken into account.

For communication with the cell modules, differential signals have been used for low frequency signals, and fiber optics for PWM signals. The analog signals for voltage and current measurements transmit the information in a current loop, also giving priority to noise immunity.

For HESStec, this project demonstrates the potential of seeking synergies between innovative players, supporting the evolution of integrated power systems in the new generation of aircraft.

This project has received funding from Clean Sky 2 Joint Undertaking under the European Union’s Horizon 2020 Research and Innovation Program under General Agreement No. 821381.

Proyecto HL – Powertrain

Sevilla, 30/06/2023

HYBRID ENERGY STORAGE SOLUTIONS SL (HESStec) ha finalizado con éxito su participación en el proyecto de Investigación y Desarrollo “INTEGRACIÓN Y FABRICACIÓN DE UN PROTOTIPO DEL SISTEMA PROPULSIVO DE HYPERLOOP MEDIANTE UN TURBORREACTOR Y UN TREN DE POTENCIA DE VEHÍCULO ELÉCTRICO.” (INNEST/2021/344), a través del programa de Proyectos estratégicos en cooperación de la Agencia Valenciana de Innovación.

Uno de los objetivos principales de HESStec en el proyecto ha sido el diseño y desarrollo de una nueva plataforma de gestión energético (EMS) especialmente diseñada para el control de un sistema de potencia que habilite la carga y descarga del sistema de baterías integradas en el proyecto. Se hizo un diseñe electrónico y mecánico acorde a las especificaciones marcadas por el proyecto. Para la integración del equipo se ha empleado una envolvente de aluminio para facilitar la disipación térmica del procesador de manera pasiva sin la necesidad de utilizar ventiladores. Resulta interesante prescindir de los ventiladores ya que de esta forma se evitará que partículas como el polvo puedan introducirse en el interior y reducir la eficacia de la refrigeración.

Por otra parte, durante el proyecto se ha realizado el diseño y desarrollo de un cabinet para la integración del EMS y la fuente de potencia elegida para la carga/descarga de baterías . Para ello, se ha optado por un armario formato rack 19’ con puerta de cristal, ruedas para transporte con patas auxiliares y ventilación forzada en techo.

Con respecto a la contribución de HESStec en la creación del gemelo digital, se creó un modelo completo del cargador. En este modelo, el modo de carga CC o CV vienen definidos por una lógica de control programada en un bloque de Matlab Class , donde además de establecer el método de carga, se calculan los valores de referencia en intensidad y tensión, para el método de carga CC o CV, respectivamente, valores que se usan como entrada para la fuente de corriente controlada y fuente de tensión controlada.

En última instancia, HESStec validó los sistemas EMS y cargador de baterías a través de una campaña de pruebas, verificando así que la tecnología desarrollada en el marco del proyecto, cumplía con los requisitos solicitados en un inicio. Esta validación pone el broche final al proyecto y certifica el éxito en este gran proyecto.

Desde HESStec se agradece el apoyo a la Generalitat Valenciana y a la Agencia Valenciana de la Innovación.