Validating the ELECTRA Web-of-Cell control concept – An overview of possible simulation environment enhancements

Abstract

It is expected that future power systems will be characterized by a high share of renewables. Nowadays, a shift from conventional dispatchable bulk generators to intermittent converter-coupled generation units can be observed. This trend, that will be always more significant in future, will affect the operation of the underlying power systems. Advanced automation and control concepts have the potential to address these challenges by providing new intelligent solutions and products. A proper validation of these new technologies is needed before their field installation. However, suitable development and testing approaches and the corresponding tools able to address system-level issues are partly missing until now. The aim of this paper is to discuss some experiences which have been made with simulation-based approaches in the EU-funded ELECTARA IRP project during the development and testing of a sophisticated distributed real-time control concept and its corresponding functions.