On February 5, 2018 in Wunsiedel, Germany, Bavaria's largest battery storage system to date was dedicated by the Managing Director of Stadtwerke Wunsiedel (SWW) Marco Krasser, Secretary of State Franz Josef Pschierer, and Siemens Chief Technology Officer Roland Busch. The Siemens Siestorage system based on lithium-ion batteries has a capacity of 8.4 megawatts. It will ensure the future stability of the distributed power grid and opens up the possibility of the municipal utilities company's participation in the primary control reserve market.
Industry is advancing in giant strides towards digitalization and the utilization of IoT functions and applications. With MindSphere, Siemens has developed a cloud-based open IoT operating system with high performance capability to meet this growing demand.
To provide optimum support for companies facing individual, industry-specific challenges surrounding the digital transformation, January 24, 2018 saw the launch of a worldwide IoT initiative by MindSphere users and Siemens.
Scandinavia is the first region in the world to rely increasingly on battery-powered and thus environmentally-friendly technologies in the shipbuilding industry. After "Ampere", the world's first electrical ferry in Norway, and a follow-up order of the Finnish shipping company FinFerries, Siemens has now received an order from Norwegian ferry operator Fjord1. Ampere was put into operation in Norway in May 2015, and has traveled a distance equivalent to more than 1.5 times around the equator. With the change from diesel propulsion to battery, Norwegian ship owner Norled has reduced the cost of fuel by 60 percent. Now Siemens has tailor-made a suitable technical solution for Fjord1. With this contract, the first four battery-driven ferries in the world will run on technology developed and manufactured by Siemens.
"Elektra" - the newest member of the electric ferry fleet: In June 2017, the Elektra began regular operation between Nauvo and Parainen in the Turku archipelago. Battery packs, which are charged via the land-based charging stations in the harbor for use by the ferry, serve as the primary source of energy, with Diesel engines used as emergency power units. The Elektra is also Europe's largest car ferry. At nearly 98 meters long and 16 meters wide, the Elektra can transport up to 90 cars per trip. The ferry purchased by FinFerries will now be traveling this route every 15 minutes. The batteries will be charged in roughly five minutes while cars move off and onto the ferry. The two lithium-ion batteries each have a capacity of 530 kWh.
LO3 Energy, an energy-tech company set to disrupt energy grids across the globe, announced an investment from Siemens closing out its series A. In late 2015 Siemens and LO3 started collaborating on projects beginning with the Brooklyn Microgrid. Self-sufficient microgrids play an important role in an energy market that is growing through distributed energy systems — whether they are based on wind, sun, water or biomass — such grids are becoming increasingly significant. LO3 Energy is benefiting from Siemens' development of microgrids such as the one that has been operating in Wildpoldsried, a village in southern Germany, since 2014. While the Brooklyn Microgrid continues to grow, insights from the proliferation of the prosumers and consumers provides Siemens the rationale for building resilient grid systems based on local marketplaces. To date, the initial project has attracted more than 60 community members participating in the Brooklyn Microgrid, and LO3 and Siemens expect to partner on further projects across the globe. Specific terms of the investment were not disclosed.
- Siemens will supply four 400 kV HVDC transformers for cross-channel link
- Efficient 2,000 MW power transmission link between France and the UK will supply up to 3 million homes with electricity
Siemens will deliver four transformers, each with a capacity of 400 kilovolts (kV) and 315 megavolt amperes (MVA), on behalf of the British grid operator National Grid. The grid operator will replace the old transformers in the high-voltage direct-current (HVDC) cross-channel link. The new transformers are quieter, have lower transmission losses and will significantly improve the system's reliability. The HVDC link connects France and England and makes it possible to efficiently exchange energy in both directions. The order includes the supply, installation and commissioning of the transformers for the Sellindge converter station in England. Siemens will complete the work by mid-2019.
Siemens has received an order from the regional grid operator EWE Netz GmbH to supply the key components of a Siharbor shore power supply system in Cuxhaven. The order includes the complete transformer station as well as the cable feed system for ro-ro (roll-on/roll-off) ships. The plant owner will be the northern German Gesellschaft für Hafeninfrastruktur Niedersachsen Ports (NPorts). With a power output of 630 kilowatts (kW), the plant will supply these ships with electricity during their lay time. They will thus be able to turn off their diesel generators, significantly lowering exhaust gas and noise pollution. The berth is located next to the new factory for wind turbines operated by Siemens Gamesa, which will be the plant's main user in the future. Siemens Gamesa will ship wind turbine components to its sister factory in Hull, UK. The Siharbor system is expected to go into operation by April 2018.
- Simit Unit Administration integrated into the Simit user interface
- Simplified configuration of PLCSIM advanced coupling
- Bulk engineering using Chem Basic Library spreadsheet calculation – for chemical and pharmaceutical plant simulation
- Data transmission now also via OPC UA client coupling
Siemens has upgraded its Simit simulation platform for virtual commissioning and operator training with a new release. Version 9.1 enables Simit to also be used for virtual commissioning and operator training in modular plants, speeding up actual commissioning by as much as 60 percent and reducing unwanted standstill periods to a minimum, particularly during plant conversion and migration processes. Simit can also be used to implement a realistic operator training system. Version 9.1 comes with an array of innovations designed to improve operating convenience, support simulation modeling and contribute towards improved efficiency, openness and flexibility.
- New MindSphere Version 3.0 on Amazon Web Services (AWS) provides access to Siemens APIs and AWS cloud services for faster development
- Simotics IQ: New IoT concept for motors
- New partnership financing service to boost the implementation of Industrie 4.0
- Study affirms annual productivity increase due to digitalization of up to 9.8 percent
Increasing demands by consumers for individual, high-quality products at favorable prices are posing new challenges for industrial enterprises which can only be resolved by digitalization. "With the Digital Enterprise portfolio, the technical conditions have been created for Industrie 4.0. To ensure successful implementation of Industrie 4.0, what we now need is an extended model for cooperative partnership based on mutual respect: Large-scale corporations supply platforms and components, medium-sized enterprises develop their own solutions and business models on this basis, and end customers integrate these into their digital value chain," explained Klaus Helmrich, Member of the Managing Board of Siemens AG at the SPS IPC Drives. Siemens will be showcasing a range of innovations at the show designed to shorten the time to market and to improve flexibility, efficiency and quality in the process and manufacturing industries. They range from the new Version 15 of the Engineering Framework TIA Portal through the IoT concept for motors Simotics IQ to the new Version 3.0 of the open cloud-based IoT operating system MindSphere. Siemens is also offering financing services such as pay-per-use models designed to simplify the implementation of digital solutions, aimed in particular at medium-sized enterprises.
- Faster processor and more memory space for complex applications
- Increased connectivity
- Efficient refrigeration control with inbuilt electronic expansion valves drivers
With the new Climatix C600 models the Siemens Building Technologies Division is extending its range of controllers for heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC). These are designed for complex applications comprising up to 8,000 objects, for example a ventilation with integrated chiller unit. The new model series includes easy cloud connection for digitalized services for applications like chillers, heat pumps, district heating stations, air handling units and roof top units. Original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) are thereby enabled to develop new business fields or to increase service efficiency.