Rotterdam’s transport company RET is becoming increasingly green. At the end of 2019, RET introduced 55 fully electric city buses. CoNet programmed and tested the Siemens 8DJH medium-voltage switchgear with SIPROTEC 5 Compact protections for the charging stations and subsequently put them into operation.
RET Electric Buses
By 2030, all RET buses will be emission-free, saving a lot of diesel and thousands of tons of CO2 every year. These new electric buses drive specific routes around Rotterdam, Schiedam, and Vlaardingen. Furthermore, the routes have been created so the electric busses can recharge at a charging station along the way.
Programming and Testing
We programmed and tested the medium-voltage switchgear and circa 20 SIPROTEC 5 Compact transformer protection around 80 charging points at six different locations. After that, we programmed and set it with DIGSI 4. Finally, these SIPROTEC’s were eventually tested, and the trip curves were checked with Omicron test equipment.
© Dirk Verweij
8DJH Medium Voltage Switchgear
CoNet is the first Siemens Solution Partner for Digital Grid technology familiar with this technology. “Our client had purchased Siemens 8DJH medium voltage installations of 10 kV and 20 kV to distribute the medium voltage towards the transformers,” according to Jeroen Weemhoff , CoNet technical consultant. “We have programmed, tested, and commissioned these switches and the SIPROTEC 5 protections. A great assignment that had a lead time of approximately two months.”
SIPROTEC 5 Compact
Modbus Communication with SCADA
It was the first time CoNet had to interface the SIPROTEC 5 Compact to a SCADA system via Modbus. Voltages, currents, and trips are passed to the PLC, which is linked to the overall SCADA system. With this SCADA system, an operator can control and monitor all the remote locations. The charging stations are located where the buses must stop for a bit longer, including Rotterdam Central Station and the RET depot. There are also a couple of fast chargers for the buses, which stop for a shorter amount of time at each location.
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