Making the Grid Smart and Resilient – Energy Storage in Frequency Regulation
(Room Arena 1)
19 Jun 18
4:00 PM
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5:30 PM
Tracks:
Arena 1: Energy storage: A New Paradigm
Digitalization, Decentralization and Decarbonisation. These three trends are symbolic for the many changes ongoing in electricity systems around the world. Renewable generation is connected to the system, creating new challenges and requiring new strategies for TSOs in grid operation. More non-synchronous renewable generation results in new challenges in keeping frequency within acceptable levels, while at the same time the traditional providers of frequency response services, conventional generators, go offline. With decreasing inertia on the system, due to conventional generation being phased out, gradients in frequency changes, also known as Rate of Change of Frequency, require new solutions for grid operation. Energy Storage is one solution to the new challenges to secure and reliable operation of electricity grids in the new energy world. Based on fast response times, high precision and unmatched flexibility in service provision, energy storage is a vital tool for frequency regulation today and in the future. In recent years storage thereby made the transition from a novel technological option to a field-proven working horse for TSOs in frequency regulation in many markets and offers more opportunities in other vital ancillary services, such as voltage regulation and black-start services. Based on live storage projects operating in frequency regulation markets in PJM (USA), UK, Germany and Belgium, this paper will discuss the fundamental challenges which led to storage integration into the respective frequency regulation markets. It will in detail outline, how storage is performing in these markets, considering the different regulatory and market characteristics as well as different approaches to frequency regulation employed in different market areas. The paper will look ahead, how TSOs and markets can profit from experiences made in today’s leading storage markets for frequency regulation from a technical, resilience and financial perspective.