EoW January 2014

News Corporate

Within the framework of an asset deal successfully concluded in July, Highvolt Prüftechnik Dresden GmbH has acquired parts of the measuring systems division of insolvent manufacturer bitGate data systems GmbH in Alsfeld, Germany. Germany needs to expand its power grids and needs to change its renewable energy policy to boost security of supply, Mr Homann asserts. The law grants uncapped subsidies for operators of renewable projects. Bundesnetzagentur – Germany Website : www.bundesnetzagentur.de Highvolt expands its competence base in the field of digital measuring systems Security issue for Germans Germany’s power market is showing signs of declining security of supply, according to Jochen Homann, the president of grid regulator Bundesnetzagentur. Mr Homann stated, at an energy conference in Munich, that the nation’s four grid operators, especially Tennet TSO GmbH and 50Hertz Transmission GmbH, needed to intervene to stabilise the grids during 7,200 hours last year, compared with 1,800 hours in 2010. He explained that the interventions are a result of renewable generation capacity putting a strain on grids. Germany boosted its share of power supply from renewable energy sources to 23 per cent last year, from 17 per cent in 2010, as Chancellor Angela Merkel’s government seeks to shutdown all nuclear reactors by 2022. Renewable energy’s reliance on unpredictable wind and sunshine has led to intermittent power flows in the grid, which operators need to regulate to prevent outages. “There are alarming signs that point to a decline of security of supply, such as a higher number of interventions into the grids by operators, the use of winter reserve plants and the reduction of renewable output on some days,” Mr Homann said. “A blackout in Germany is not imminent. Neither is a brownout, where single users of power are taken offline selectively.”

“The deal has enabled us to add highly qualified services relating to pulse current and voltage measurements to our already extensive portfolio in the field of high-voltage testing and measuring systems,” said managing director Dr Ralf Bergmann. Highvolt’s new generation of transient recorders

is characterised by the particularly high number of parallel measuring channels. The use of fibre-optic transmission technologies facilitates extremely reliable signal transmission with transient recorders such as the digital system AD3000. “Our customers will also benefit from a greatly expanded range of software, which can be tailored precisely to the most varied customer needs,” added managing director Bernhard Nick. “The expansion of our product range to include further technologically sophisticated, customer-specific measuring systems will further strengthen Highvolt’s standing in the market.” ▲ ▲ AD3000 S6 for rack mounting with two fibre optical probes

Highvolt Prüftechnik Dresden GmbH – Germany Website : www.highvolt.de

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January 2014