Extended Coverage: AMSC's SuperVAR Enters Changing FACTS
Marketplace
According to experts cited by American Superconductor (AMSC),
the global addressable market for Flexible AC
Transmission System (FACTS) devices is at $170 million
per year. The company hopes its SuperVAR dynamic
synchronous condenser (DSC) will carve a niche in this
market, as it offers some important advantages over
competing reactive power (VAR) solutions.
It is
likely that AMSC will need to achieve three challenging
objectives before its DSC can compete with existing
solutions. First, the company may need to scale the
machines to much larger sizes to meet the needs of grid
engineers for some applications. Second, the SuperVAR
device will need to gain operating experience before it
is accepted as a reliable device by utilities. Third,
AMSC may also need to bring the cost of the SuperVAR
machine down.
"STATCOM
costs about $110 to $120 per kVAR in large systems,
sized at 100MVAR or more," said David Eromon,
Assistant Professor in the Department of Electronics,
Computer, and Information Technology at North Carolina
A&T State University.
"An average cost for SVCs that allow rapid switching between capacitors
and reactors varies from $50 to $60 per kVAR." An
official at the Tennessee Valley Authority said he would ideally
like to see the SuperVAR machine offered in the
neighborhood of $50/kVAR.
Also in Article: AMSC Continues to Scale Machines to
Larger Sizes - STATCOM and SVC Two Closest Competitors
to SuperVAR - STATCOM Fast, Efficient, Flexible - VARs
from SVC Degrade as Voltage Drops - Capacitors Least
Expensive VAR Solution - Synchronous Condensers Promise
Advantages - HT Superconductors Solution to Key Problems
- Cost of VAR Solutions Ranges Broadly - AMSC Claims
$62.5/kVAR for SuperVAR - Evolution of FACTS Market
Shaped by Power Industry, Regulation, and Consumers -
Utilities Slowly Gaining Awareness of VAR Solutions
