December 1, 2017 — Emerson has launched automation technology for utilities and independent power producers who rely on renewable energy sources and serve the microgrid market.

Emerson’s new Ovation OCC100 controller extends Emerson’s Ovation control technology by managing the flow of energy from various sources to ensure continuous generation for these industries, the company says. Emerson also says that this technology is well-suited to critical water and wastewater applications.

The OCC100 offers remote monitoring and control capabilities for wind farms spread over a wide geographic area and the ability to operate in the higher ambient temperatures associated with solar facilities. For microgrids, it provides a single point of control for performance optimization.

The new control also monitors and controls remote pump stations critical to collecting, treating, storing and distributing water to homes and businesses.

Additionally, it can be merged into a larger, Ovation distributed control system offering greater visibility into plant-wide operations, the company says. The controller features integrated wide-area technologies that allow it to control geographically dispersed equipment using cell or wireless technology. This, Emerson says, will help power generators harness the benefits of Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) like never before.

For example, as wind power becomes more prevalent and wind turbines become larger and more sophisticated, utilities need to more closely monitor vibration and other operating conditions. The OCC100 controller collects and aggregates information about each wind turbine, then shares that data to provide intelligence about the entire wind farm.

“Traditionally, the power generation industry has been slow to change. But now with microgrids moving into the mainstream and an increased reliance on renewable energy, it’s really a brave new world,” said Bob Yeager, president, power & water, Emerson Automation Solutions. “We’re adapting to the changes we’re seeing in the global power markets, offering our customers the enhanced flexibility they need to thrive in this changing landscape.”