ABSTRACT
Decarbonisation, decentralisation and digitalisation are the main drives transforming classical ac power systems. The former process is shifting generation pools to a low-fossil-fuel and environmentally friendly one. The increase of distributed energy resources, such as rooftop solar systems, is the main drive behind the decentralisation process. Finally, the rapid digitalisation of energy networks, energy supply and demand is changing the paradigms of how to provide services and operate the system.
This transition requires new operational and management strategies to maintain the reliability and security of supply. In the long-term, transmission system operators (TSOs) deal with the need to optimise transmission/generation investments – in Australia, for instance, this is carried out by AEMO through its Integrated System Plan. On the other hand, in the short-term, TSOs face reliability and security challenges – system strength and inertia are some of the issues faced by AEMO in this regard. In order to analyse and tackle these threats, new models, with a reasonable balance between detail and simplification are required.
This work will cover the following aspects:
- An overview of the main challenges and opportunities that power system operators and researchers are facing due to the transformation of power systems.
- The role of real-time digital simulations when analysing and operating modern power systems.
- A case study:
- The Simplified Australian 14-Generator System model developed for PB5 processor cards of the RTDS simulator.
- A benchmark of the model against a phasor-based simulation software (PSS/E).
- An extended case, considering renewables and power electronics-based generation, will be also illustrated.
- Considerations in how to integrate wind power systems, photovoltaic power plants, battery energy storage systems, flexible ac transmission systems (FACTS) and high-voltage direct current (HVDC) grids in a real-time model of an actual grid (digital twin).
Felipe Arraño-Vargas, University of New South Wales