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Why Grid Stability Is Imperative to Renewables, Battery Energy Storage

The power grid must remain stable as renewable energy and battery energy storage become more common. This is a major challenge with so many new devices and operations. Grid-forming controls are the solution. Watch this video to learn more.

Topics:
Batteries Electrification Energy Energy Storage Power Renewable Energy Solar Power

More From SAE Media Group

    Transcript

    00:00:04 You may know that inverters switch electricity  from direct current to alternating current. You may also know that inverters  deliver power from renewable energy   resources and batteries to the electric grid. But did you know that inverters can do more? They have an important role to play in providing  grid stability—it all depends on their controls.  Scene 2 When inverters inject   electricity into the grid, it must match  the grid’s existing voltage and frequency. Inverter controls can achieve this by following  other generators. Like ducklings following their   mother, the inverter simply looks at the  surrounding electricity and follows it. But   this becomes a problem when all inverters  are following. Then there isn’t a leader,  

    00:00:55 and the inverters might follow each  other into unstable conditions. To overcome this, power systems ith large amounts  of inverter based resources require some of the   inverters to form the grid. Grid-forming  inverters generate electricity for other   inverters to reference, providing a  rapid response to maintain stability.  Scene 3 For example, imagine a power system   with mostly grid-following inverters and some  synchronous generators, which don’t use inverters. Imagine that an inverter trips during a  storm. This causes the frequency to drop   quickly while the remaining generators  and inverters try to stabilize the grid. As the frequency drops below 59.5 Hertz, the  grid automatically begins an emergency recovery   scheme that temporarily cuts supply to  some areas, causing local blackouts.

    00:01:52 At last, the resources restabilize  the frequency, and minutes later,   the power is restored. Meanwhile,  grid-following inverters inside the   blackout cannot provide power because they  have no voltage or frequency reference. Now imagine that all the grid-following inverters  are replaced with grid-forming inverters.  This time, when a lightning strike takes out an  inverter, the grid-forming inverters react fast   enough to stop the frequency from falling  to the point where the grid sheds load. The grid remains stable, and the remaining  resources rebalance the frequency to 60 Hertz.  Scene 4 Grid-forming inverters   are essential to preventing outages, and they  are also the key to future clean energy systems. They support locally controllable,  rapidly responsive grids,  

    00:02:43 like microgrids and autonomous energy systems. And they overcome oscillation issues  in 100% renewable energy systems. There are many different grid-forming options,   but the key is to UNIFY inverter  operations with other energy sources. This is how renewable energy can  create strong and stable power systems.