Fast Frequency Response Capability of Photovoltaic Power Plants: The Necessity of New Grid Requirements and Definitions

Claudia Rahmann and Alfredo Castillo
Additional contact information
Claudia Rahmann: Department of Electrical Engineering, University of Chile, Santiago 8370451, Chile
Alfredo Castillo: Department of Electrical Engineering, University of Chile, Santiago 8370451, Chile

Energies, 2014, vol. 7, issue 10, 1-17

Abstract: In recent years, only a small number of publications have been presented addressing power system stability with the increased use of large-scale photovoltaic (PV) generation around the world. The focus of these publications was on classical stability problems, such as transient and small signal stability, without considering frequency stability. Nevertheless, with increased PV generation, its effects on system frequency response during contingencies can no longer be ignored, especially in the case of weakly interconnected networks or isolated power systems. This paper addresses the impacts of large scale PV generation on the frequency stability of power systems. The positive effects of deloaded PV power plants (PV-PPs) able to support system frequency recovery during the initial seconds after major contingencies are also examined. Because this type of frequency support is not covered by current definitions, a new terminology is proposed that includes the frequency response of inertia-less generation units immediately after major power imbalances. We refer to this type of frequency support as fast frequency response (FFR). Finally, a discussion is also presented regarding the applicability and pertinence of frequency-related grid requirements for PV-PPs in the case of real power systems. The investigation is based on the isolated power system of northern Chile. The obtained results indicate that in the case of major power imbalances, no significant effects arise on the system frequency response until PV penetration levels exceed approximately 20%. From a system security perspective, the problems arise for PV penetration levels of approximately 50%, in which case, the frequency response capability in PV-PPs would be justified during certain hours of the year.

Keywords: dynamic response; frequency control; frequency stability; grid requirements; inertial response; photovoltaic generation (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q Q0 Q4 Q40 Q41 Q42 Q43 Q47 Q48 Q49 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2014
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (25)

Downloads: (external link)
https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/7/10/6306/pdf (application/pdf)
https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/7/10/6306/ (text/html)

Related works:
This item may be available elsewhere in EconPapers: Search for items with the same title.

Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text

Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:gam:jeners:v:7:y:2014:i:10:p:6306-6322:d:40876

Access Statistics for this article

Energies is currently edited by Ms. Agatha Cao

More articles in Energies from MDPI
Bibliographic data for series maintained by MDPI Indexing Manager ().