Reserve Technique in Integrating Large Sustainable Energy Sources: A Case Study of the Tunisian Grid

Nouha Mansouri, Abderezak Lashab, Majid Ali, Chokri Bouchoucha, Josep Guerrero and Juan Vasquez ()
Additional contact information
Nouha Mansouri: Center for Research on Microgrids (CROM), Department of Energy Technology, Aalborg University, Pontoppidanstraede 111, 9220 Aalborg, Denmark
Abderezak Lashab: Center for Research on Microgrids (CROM), Department of Energy Technology, Aalborg University, Pontoppidanstraede 111, 9220 Aalborg, Denmark
Majid Ali: Center for Research on Microgrids (CROM), Department of Energy Technology, Aalborg University, Pontoppidanstraede 111, 9220 Aalborg, Denmark
Chokri Bouchoucha: Tunisian Company of Electricity and Gaz STEG, Tunis 1080, Tunisia
Josep Guerrero: Center for Research on Microgrids (CROM), Department of Energy Technology, Aalborg University, Pontoppidanstraede 111, 9220 Aalborg, Denmark
Juan Vasquez: Center for Research on Microgrids (CROM), Department of Energy Technology, Aalborg University, Pontoppidanstraede 111, 9220 Aalborg, Denmark

Sustainability, 2024, vol. 16, issue 23, 1-20

Abstract: The increasing integration of sustainable energy sources, such as wind and solar power, into the national electricity grid presents significant challenges in terms of frequency control and grid stability. Additionally, the imbalance between electricity supply and demand introduces dynamic frequency variations. However, according to the literature, the impact of high penetration of renewable energy sources on the Tunisian grid has not been extensively analyzed using power system simulator for engineering (PSS/E). This research paper explores how the primary reserve technique participates to maintain frequency within acceptable ranges in the Tunisian electrical grid. Individual generators contribute to the total power output, thereby influencing frequency deviation. The primary frequency control action by each generator is proportional to its frequency deviation and inversely proportional to its governing drop, which measures the generator’s sensitivity to frequency changes. This paper analyzes frequency stability in the Tunisian grid under scenarios with and without different rates of sustainable energy source penetration, which barely reached 3.5% in 2023. In Tunisia, the use of sustainable energy is essential not only for ensuring grid stability but for combating climate change and reducing carbon emissions, aligning with the country’s environmental goals. The transition to sustainable energy significantly reduces the carbon footprint of the power sector, offering a sustainable solution for mitigating the adverse effects of climate change. Dynamic simulations were conducted for the isolated Tunisian system, separate from the interconnected grid, focusing on the critical scenario of the loss of a large electricity production unit. This study also examined the absence of sustainable energy integration and the effects of integration of different rates of renewable energy to evaluate the impact of reserves on the continuity of the Tunisian electrical service. Simulation results, which considered a 2023 grid model, show that with an integration trial of 20% renewable energy and, in the worst-case scenario, which represents the loss of the largest production group in the grid, the primary reserve of a given group—defined by the quantity of active energy—can be rapidly deployed to restore the balance between electricity supply and demand. Thus, reserves are a crucial solution for maintaining frequency within reasonable limits and ensuring the continuity of electrical services in Tunisia with varying rates from 10% to 20% integration of different sustainable energy sources.

Keywords: photovoltaic (PV); sustainable energy; wind; hybrid; frequency; grid; reserve; renewable energy; integration (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2024
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

Downloads: (external link)
https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/16/23/10791/pdf (application/pdf)
https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/16/23/10791/ (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:jsusta:v:16:y:2024:i:23:p:10791-:d:1539945

Access Statistics for this article

Sustainability is currently edited by Ms. Alexandra Wu

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