LS Materials and LS ELECTRIC will jointly develop a power grid stabilization system to respond to fluctuations in renewable energy generation and electricity consumption at artificial intelligence (AI) data centers.
LS Materials announced on November 9 that it had signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with LS ELECTRIC for E-STATCOM technology development and demonstration. The companies will combine their respective energy storage and power control technologies and verify performance through demonstrations, pursuing domestic technology development and entry into overseas markets.
E-STATCOM, the system being jointly developed, connects an ultracapacitor (UC) to a STATCOM, a device that maintains stable voltage. A UC can store and release electricity quickly. Adding rapid charging and discharging to conventional voltage control allows the system to respond to frequency fluctuations and momentary imbalances between electricity supply and consumption.
The main applications are renewable energy and AI data centers. Solar and wind power output varies with the weather, while AI data centers consume large amounts of electricity and can experience sudden changes in consumption. The company explained that the system the two companies intend to develop is designed to rapidly mitigate these fluctuations.
LS Materials will be responsible for the high-capacity UC system. According to the company, LS UltraGrid, developed in 2024, is South Korea’s first megawatt-scale rack-mounted UC system suitable for E-STATCOM applications. It is designed to supply or absorb megawatt-scale power within 0.1 seconds, enabling it to respond to momentary power fluctuations.
LS ELECTRIC will provide power conversion and grid control technologies. Drawing on its experience carrying out STATCOM projects totaling 4.7 Gvar in South Korea, it plans to incorporate system design and operational control technologies. It also holds patents relating to E-STATCOM design optimization and control.
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The companies also plan to apply grid-forming control technology, which establishes and maintains grid voltage and frequency. LS ELECTRIC said its technology was the first in South Korea to receive verification from UL in the United States.
The companies are focusing on the fact that E-STATCOM is an early-stage market where development and demonstrations are also underway overseas. They intend to pursue development by combining LS Materials’ UCs with LS ELECTRIC’s power control technologies, and to establish a basis for commercialization by confirming performance and reliability during demonstrations.
Original Korean article: ZDNet Korea
English brief by Korea Wind Intelligence, koreawindintel.com
