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GRID4EU – Large-Scale Demonstration Of European Smart Distribution Networks |
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| Organization | Électricité Réseau Distribution France (ERDF) | |
| Country | Germany, Sweden, Spain, Italy, Czech Republic,France | |
| Contact Point | Remy Garaude Verdier (remy.garaude-verdier@erdf.fr) | |
The “GRID4EU” Large-scale Demonstration of European Smart Distribution Networks project focused on increasing the hosting capacity for renewable energy sources in distribution grids while minimizing any degradation in quality of electricity supply. Six European major distribution system operators (ERDF, ENEL, RWE, IBERDROLA, CEZ and VATTENFALL), who account for more than 50% of the European metered energy in total, pooled their experience and expertise in order to achieve the common ambition of a ‘smarter and greener grid’. Also, this project was supported by the European Union (EU) as EU has committed to reach at least 27% of renewable energy in the energy mix by 2030.
GRID4EU improved renewable energy integration at medium and low-voltage levels by managing demand and generation profiles in the network and automating the grid operation. In Germany, GRID4EU extended the automation level of medium-voltage networks based on the multi-agent system, acting and switching autonomously through a forecast-based algorithm. In Italy, GRID4EU implemented an advanced control system communicating with the relevant nodes in the medium-voltage network. The voltage regulation function maintained the technical parameters within desired ranges through the implementation of power flow control. The project improved residential and industrial energy flexibilities which help absorption of surplus photovoltaic generation through an advanced time-of-use pricing, based on load shifting or process management in France. Overall, the areas covered by the project included more than 60,000 customers and 140 megawatt peak of renewable energy source around Europe.
The Grid4EU project decisively contributed to the creation of a European standardized model for smart grids by implementing interoperable solutions that are economically viable and technologically sound. GRID4EU project’s scope included scalability and replicability analysis and development of a unified economical assessment framework that covers the identification of benefits (monetary and qualitative) and beneficiaries. In three locations representative of the current European renewable energy source landscape, GRID4EU successfully developed patterns of renewable energy integration to identify and articulate best practices and solutions.
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DS3 – Delivering A Secure, Sustainable Electricity System |
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| Organization | EirGrid | |
| Country | Ireland | |
| Contact Point | Michael Kilty(Michael.Kilty@Eirgrid.com) | |
EirGrid’s “DS3 – Delivering a Secure, Sustainable Electricity System” project is focused on identifying and overcoming the challenges associated with integrating variable renewable generation into a synchronous power grid at unprecedented levels (40% renewable electricity target). The project is centered on the electricity system supporting the Island of Ireland and Northern Ireland.
The DS3 project is divided into three pillars – System Performance, Policies and Tools, under which a number of new innovative smart grid tools, policies and methodologies have been developed, including a metric to examine the maximum possible variable renewable generation capacity while operating the system in a secured and safe manner. By integrating planning and development between the three pillars, EirGrid Group has securely managed real-time penetration levels of up to 50% of system demand on a continual basis, and has created a framework to increase this to 75% by 2020.
In order to ensure the system performance required to meet the renewable integration goals, DS3 has focused on “Grid Code” modifications, rate of change of frequency (RoCoF) modifications, and the provision of system services with demand side management — increasing participation from demand connected loads and enhanced performance monitoring. As the level of renewable generation increases, system operational policies need to be developed to support frequency control and voltage control. As part of the policy focus of DS3, EirGrid has been collecting system statistics and developing key system indices to identify trends and inform policy changes. DS3 has developed an array of smart grid tools, which are key to system flexibility, efficiency and resilience, such as the online System Non-Synchronous Penetration (SNSP) tool, system inertia and RoCoF monitoring. Major outcomes of DS3 include enhanced controllability of Wind Farms, a cutting-edge wind dispatch tool, best-in-class wind forecasting tools and DS3’s Wind Security Assessment Tool and Dynamic Studies tools.
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Smart Grid Station of Korea Electric Power Corporation |
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| Organization | Korea Electric Power Corporation (KEPCO) | |
| Country | Korea | |
| Contact Point | Keun-Seong Kim(altair@kepco.co.kr) | |
“Smart Grid Station” of Korea Electric Power Corporation (KEPCO) is an integrated regional-based control center for best-managing independent energy systems converged with information and communication technologies. The project widely embraced diverse areas of smart grids and renewable energy encompassing heating/cooling, photovoltaic, wind turbine, energy storage system, advanced meter infrastructure, and electric vehicle charger, while implementing technologies developed from the Je-ju smart grid pilot project (2009-2013).
The project developed a hybrid power conversion system (PCS) and energy management system (EMS) in order to efficiently integrate systems and manage energy consumption in buildings. In the “Smart Grid Station,” each building is installed with an EMS that integrates various independent systems, such as renewable energy resources, energy storage, smart devices, heating and cooling devices, etc. The hybrid PCS successfully integrates the inverter that controls renewable energy sources and the power conversion system, which controls charging/discharging status of batteries while the EMS monitors and controls the Smart Grid Station system components. In addition, a charging/discharging algorithm of energy storage optimizes energy usage, peak load, and cooling/heating status automatically.
The Smart Grid Station of KEPCO reduced indoor energy consumption by 10% of and reduced peak demand by 5%. By better enabling effective demand side management, peak demand reductions, and load shedding, the project reduces transmission and distribution costs, while stabilizing energy supply and demand. The Smart Grid Station project involved 39 different small and medium enterprises participating in the 2014 project and there are plans to expand the application of the Smart Grid Station to 75 KEPCO buildings in 2015.