- Global technology and software leader, Emerson, will provide advanced automation solutions to help ensure the safety and reliability of New Zealand’s first large-scale solar photovoltaic (PV) power project.
- Emerson’s renewable power generation expertise will help solar energy company Lodestone Energy quickly and safely complete its two 23 MW sites at Kaitaia and Edgecumbe, an essential step in supporting New Zealand’s ambitious goals of achieving carbon neutrality by 2050.
Emerson’s advanced automation architecture will combine powerful control software and technologies with enterprise data solutions to create an integrated, scalable control solution to maximise output and profitability while contributing to grid stability. Peter Apperley, General Manager of Engineering at Lodestone Energy, said, “Emerson’s expertise in automation software for power generation and sustainability will help us more quickly build a world-class facility while also more seamlessly integrating with the national grid to drive successful, efficient operation over the plant’s lifecycle.”
Lodestone will take advantage of Emerson’s OvationTM distributed control system and new OCR3000 controller to provide comprehensive control to minimise the impact of variability and intermittency in solar PV power generation. The same technologies will also make it easier for operators to respond to grid frequency events quickly. Ovation enterprise data solutions will provide secure monitoring of solar PV operations from the control room or mobile devices, measuring, monitoring and reporting key performance indicators to increase the visibility of plant operations.
Bob Yeager, President of Emerson’s Power and Water Business, said, “Lodestone’s strategy perfectly aligns with Emerson’s boundless automation vision of an advanced technology stack leveraging integrated, scalable control to provide access to critical data across the plant and industrial edge and throughout the enterprise.” Lodestone’s solar PV project requires multiple interfaces to third-party systems, including inverters, high-voltage switchboards, weather stations, site security systems, and grid authority remote terminal units.