Monitoring the robustness of distributed generation
Europe has mounted a campaign to increase the amount of power it generates from Renewable Energy Sources (RES). As a result, the electricity network will become increasingly distributed, reaping significant technical, economic and environmental benefits. The European Commission is funding R&D to help speed the adoption of cleaner energy sources. The CRISP project, for example, sought to enhance Distributed Generation (DG) with the latest Information and Communication Technologies. IDEA, a company active in electrical network research, examined the issue of robustness of DG during CRISP. They started with a complete description of the network, focusing on the aspect of transmission. Reliability was expressed as a function of the degree of DG penetration. Measures to avoid blackouts were also taken into account. During CRISP, IDEA invented an index that provides an accurate assessment of system stability in real time. The index is calculated at the local grid level, but can also be integrated over larger areas. This flexibility allows the management of both local and global constraints. IDEA also examined how to deal with the repercussions of intentional islanding, a phenomenon associated with increased RES infiltration. Finally, they devised the necessary controls and communication mechanisms to ensure secure operating conditions.
