This short, animated video describes the challenge of declining system stability that Transmission System Operators (TSOs) face as part of the renewable energy transition.
It highlights the importance of real-time inertia measurements to enable TSOs to optimize their balancing reserve procurement and to utilize more renewable generation.
GridMetrix® enables TSOs to move from increasingly inaccurate inertia models to real-time, direct inertia measurements.
As we move rapidly towards renewables 2.0, this real-time visibility of critical network conditions will empower TSOs to make key commercial and operational decisions faster, safer and more cost-effectively.
Reactive, together with our partners, National Grid ESO and Tokyo Electric Power Company, are setting the global power grid inertia standards for the next generation of system stability management.
“As the penetration of wind and solar on the system increases, operation of the system becomes significantly more complex. The power system is being operated closer to its known limits more frequently, with increasingly variable and uncertain supply and demand, and declines in system strength and inertia”
“Zero carbon operation of the electricity system means a fundamental change to how our system was designed to operate; integrating newer technologies right across the system… using new smart digital systems to manage and control the system in real-time.”
“Innovation and digitization, required to cope with the increased complexity of the system, are one of the two enabling factors of our strategy and we plan to devote around EUR 900 million to these initiatives…this represents a paradigm shift: from Watts to Bytes.”
Duncan Burt, Acting Director of Operations at National Grid in the UK, discusses the fruitful relationship between Reactive Technologies and National Grid ESO that has led to two technological world firsts.
View moreThe three inertia estimation models shown in the table below provide static and historic views of system stability only. None offer a controllable, accurate and continuous view of inertia from transmission, distribution and demand – a view needed by grid operators to safely integrate greater amounts of renewable generation and maintain system resilience. An innovative direct and continuous inertia measurement methodology powered by Reactive technology now, for the first time ever, enables TSOs to have a real-time, accurate view of inertia.
| Method | Continuous results | Transmission inertia | Distribution inertia | Accurate Power measurement | Enough data to understand inertia patterns | Accurate RoCoF Measurement |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Summing inertia across all synchronous generators | N/A | N/A | ||||
| Calculating RoCoF during large frequency excursions | ||||||
| Estimation based on power events throughout the day | ||||||
 Real-time inertia measurement |
GridMetrix® gives TSOs the inertia visibility they need to operate their systems in the new, more
intermittent energy mix.
Deployed and successfully demonstrated internationally with multiple TSOs with highly accurate results delivered
An accurate view of inertia will allow TSOs to reduce the need to curtail intermittent generation in lieu of fossil fuels and ultimately accommodate more renewables.
By better understanding their grids, TSOs will be able to make more informed procurement decisions.
Having real-time visibility events propagating through their networks will allow TSOs to take optimal mitigation/recovery steps and continue to keep the lights on.
Grid
“National Grid is proud to be at the forefront of the energy revolution as we enable the uptake of renewable generation…being part of this innovative project to continuously measure inertia will improve our understanding of how to monitor grid stability in a changing energy environment.”
Duncan Burt Director of System Operations at National Grid ESO
Grid
“We are very pleased to have partnered with Reactive to successfully complete this pioneering inertia measurement demonstration project on Nii-jima Island, the first of its kind undertaken in Japan. We appreciate the advanced technology of Reactive.”
Jun Johkaji Vice President at TEPCO Research Institute
Reactive’s novel intentional power stimulation method is combined with bespoke gridedge measurement units and a cloud analytics platform. This delivers Transmission System Operators unparalleled visibility of inertia.
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