Use Non-Energy-Curtailment Resources for Primary Frequency Response in Future Low-Inertia Power Grids

TL;DR

This paper investigates how existing grid resources and energy storage can enhance primary frequency response in future low-inertia grids with high photovoltaic penetration, avoiding solar energy waste.

Contribution

It explores the use of current grid resources and energy storage for primary frequency response at the interconnection level under high PV penetration scenarios.

Findings

Energy storage can effectively improve frequency response without curtailing solar output.

Different control strategies for batteries and supercapacitors impact response performance.

High PV penetration challenges can be mitigated using existing resources and energy storage.

Abstract

Power grid primary frequency response will be significantly impaired by Photovoltaic (PV) penetration increase because of the decrease in inertia and governor response. PV inertia and governor emulation requires reserving PV output and leads to solar energy waste. This paper exploits current grid resources and explores energy storage for primary frequency response under high PV penetration at the interconnection level. Based on the actual models of the U.S. Eastern Interconnection grid and the Texas grid, effects of multiple factors associated with primary frequency response, including the governor ratio, governor deadband, droop rate, and fast load response, are assessed under high PV penetration scenarios. In addition, performance of batteries and supercapacitors using different control strategies is studied in the two interconnections. The paper quantifies the potential of various resources to improve interconnection-level primary frequency response under high PV penetration without curtailing solar output.