Renewables Integration and New Technologies

With higher penetrations of variable supply and less predictable demand, there is a need to have more system ramping capability to maintain load-and-supply balance in real-time operation. Even with the growth in natural gas resources, a projected 3.5% reduction of conventional generating resources can be expected in the SERC Region in the next ten years. With ensuing retirements, significant delays in the in-service dates for new projects could cause capacity shortfalls. As conventional generation represents a smaller percentage of generation within each subregion, additional analysis will be needed to understand the overall characteristics of the generation in the Region, and how essential reliability services will be planned for and provided in real-time.

IBRs, including solar generation and energy storage systems, are inherently different from conventional generation. Planning processes, models, interconnection studies, protection and control systems, and operating processes will need to be considered to ensure reliability going forward. The provision of essential reliability services such as contingency reserves, voltage regulation, frequency response, dynamic response, and ability to respond to variability in generator output will have to be considered.

SERC utilizes its stakeholder driven Variable Energy Resources Working Group (VERWG) (https://www.serc1.org/committees/committee/ec/engineering-committee-(ec)/variable-energy-resources-working-group) to understand and address the challenges in this area as faced by member companies. SERC member company representatives are encouraged to join the VERWG roster by submitting a Committee Roster Update Request (https://www.serc1.org/committees/committee-roster-update-request/).

SERC collaborates with its member companies, the neighboring regions, and the prime research and higher education institutions to share insights and raise awareness through various outreach events for its stakeholders. During a webinar, SERC discussed the impacts of growing variable energy resources in the SERC Region, especially the IBRs, on power quality and grid reliability. Subject matter experts across our industry spoke on best practices and lessons learned from performing various planning studies focused on their integration to the energy grid; modeling and planning for growth in battery energy storage systems (BESS); electric vehicles (EV) and their charging stations; and the impacts of electronic drive adoption on the bulk power system. To review the slides from our presenters or view the WebEx recordings, please visit the Growing Variable Energy Resources and Grid Reliability event page (https://serc1.org/outreach/events-calendar/event-details?id=a57d4f88-2c23-46a4-a765-e31200284db0).