Electricity seems to be the perfect solution. There is only a “simple” problem: there are not enough resources and the infrastructure is ineffective or outdated. Power transformers as an essential part of this infrastructure are currently a hot topic. As Elon Musk recently said: “I’ve never seen technology advance faster.” The chip shortage may be behind us, but artificial intelligence and electric mobility are developing at such a rapid pace that the world could face a collapse in electricity and transformer supplies next year.
The Polish energy sector is no exception to global trends. On the one hand, the demand for energy is increasing, and on the other hand, renewable energy sources are growing rapidly. Therefore, our aging transmission network requires huge investments – including replacing old transformers and installing many new ones.
Last year, renewable energy sources (RES) already provided nearly 25% of Poland’s energy consumption. Annual national electricity production. In 2018, the percentage was 9%. There are more and more photovoltaic installations and wind farms operating on the Vistula River. Solar energy production increased from 0.7 TWh in 2019 to 13.2 TWh last year. Electricity production from wind turbines also nearly doubled from 2019 to 2023 – from 12.3 TWh to 22.1 TWh in 2023.
At the same time, the load on our transmission network is increasing and there are challenges related to its necessary modernization, including the replacement of a large number of transformers. It is an essential element of the transmission network, allowing electricity to be delivered from producers to consumers. — The Polish transport network is outdated and not adapted to today’s realities – He says ivor Grubisic, Chairman of the Board of Directors of Power Engineering Transformation (PET), a manufacturer of medium power transformers in Czervonac near Poznań.
Suffice it to say that according to a study by the University of Wroclaw “Infrastructure of the National Electricity Grid – Threats and Challenges”, up to 54 percent of power plants and overhead lines, as well as every fifth transformer and autotransformer in the Polish grid, are more than 40 years old. As a result, further energy conversion in Poland is becoming more difficult – in recent years, the number of refusals to connect new renewable energy sources to the electricity grid has increased significantly in Poland. Between 2015 and 2021, network operators spent more than £6,000. Connection Rejection: The requests to connect to the grid that were rejected last year were for projects with a capacity of up to 83.6 gigawatts! True, the Office of Energy Regulatory confirms, this is not the real amount of power that went unconnected last year, because some entrepreneurs are submitting the same requests multiple times, but the scale of the problem is still huge.
There is only one solution – modernization of the transport network. — To increase its potential, it is necessary not only to replace old transformer units, but also to provide new ones – Believes Ivor Grubisic.
Transformers – a key component of the green transition
The history of PET, a company that is now an active participant in the transformation processes of the Polish energy sector, dates back to the middle of the last century. After decades of renovations and upgrades, our new units went into production in 2008, from design through production and factory testing to assembly at the customer site. In 2017, the company joined the Croatian Koncar D&ST group, one of the leading transformer manufacturers in the EU, which supplies its devices to customers in the EU and around the world. The new owner introduced new technologies to PET, both in design and production, thanks to which the PET product became known and accepted throughout the European Union and throughout the world. — Joining the Koncar D&ST group gave the company a great impetus for development and growth, and also opened opportunities in foreign markets and at the same time introduced EU quality standards to the Polish market. – Claims Maciej Maulepsi, Member of the Board of Directors and CFO of PET, this is confirmed by the company’s dynamically growing revenues. This rose from PLN 9 million in 2017 to PLN 130 million last year.
PET is constantly developing its production. — For several years, the company has made many investments in production infrastructure. In 2023, its value exceeded PLN 5 million, and we plan to double this amount in the following years. – says Dr Bolesław BrodkaMember of the Board of Directors, Technical Director of PET.
The company from Poznań offers medium power transformers from 6.3 to 90 MVA and with voltages up to 145 kV. They are an important and indispensable component of power transmission networks, supplying electricity to the sockets of millions of homes in Poland and abroad. PET devices are used by all Polish energy operators – Tauron, Energa, PGE, Enea and E.ON. Stoen.
It is also a key component of the green revolution in energy. On the one hand, it allows new renewable energy sources to be connected to the grid. -sConsumer consumers emerged, and the largest industrial consumers invested in their own renewable energy sources. This means that the energy grid needs new functions, such as transmitting energy in a small area (between consumers and households) and transporting energy to and from large production plants rather than simply supplying energy. – explains Dr Bolesław Brodka.
The increasing demand for electricity is associated with increasingly common air conditioners and the installation of heat pumps that replace old coal boilers. Also, more and more electrical appliances in our homes increase the demand for energy. PET converters also support the development of electric mobility – without them, charging stations for electric vehicles cannot be built. To counter this, it is necessary to upgrade transmission lines and additional transformers. To this end, PET is already increasing its production by about 20% this year, and another similar increase is scheduled for 2025. Plans for the coming years are equally ambitious. Development is important, which is why the company is already hiring more engineers and investing in infrastructure, which will allow it to prepare for future market challenges.
The devices supplied by PET meet all current requirements regarding levels of energy loss during operation. They are more energy efficient than older transformers. It consists of world-leading materials and components, ensuring long-term and trouble-free operation.
— We are very proud of the fact that our devices reduce energy consumption and replace outdated units. Additionally, it offers long-term solutions that can provide users with up to 40 years of trouble-free operation – he adds Maciej Maulebszi.
New environmental solutions
For the entire Koncar D&ST Group, environmental protection is very important, and this is reflected not only in the production of transformers that are as energy efficient as possible and designed to operate for years, which fits perfectly into the concept of closed-loop economy.
Last year, for example, the group produced the first transformer using steel while cutting its carbon footprint in half. Projects of this type are being developed and will continue to be developed alongside the growing demand for this type of environmental solutions by energy companies and the growing market demand for steel produced using hydrogen.
Koncar D&ST is also constantly investing in improving the efficiency of its technological processes, the company has also invested in its own photovoltaic panels, and in Poland – in PET – it has modernized, among others. Thermal insulation of buildings, more efficient windows, and updating the heating system to a more environmentally friendly and low-emission system. New, more environmentally friendly means of transportation have also been introduced, for example electric forklifts. The ISO quality and environmental management system in place is not just a company’s regulations, but also the foundation of its operations.
— Increasing demand for transformers provides the opportunity to develop the entire industry on which energy security depends – Believes Ivor Grubisic.
All energy consumers will certainly benefit from this.
