Workshop “Assessment of grid stability for increased renewable energy integration in the Pacific”
As part of the IRENA Islands Initiative, IRENA in collaboration with the Pacific Power Association (PPA) held a workshop, “Assessment of grid stability for increased renewable energy integration in the Pacific” on 15 July in Vanuatu in the margins of the 21st Annual PPA Conference. Over 35 technical experts and Pacific utility executives gathered to discuss ways to introduce higher shares of renewables, such as solar and wind, into island grids while retaining grid stability.
In recent years Pacific utilities have been integrating higher shares of renewables into their grids, in a bid to diversify their energy mix and reduce their dependency on fossil fuels. To enable islands’ confidence to meet their desired level of renewable energy penetration, tailor-made strategies and technology solutions are required. A key first step in producing these is the assessment of grid stability using dynamic modelling of island grids which considers factors such as age, and the control systems of diesel generators. Also to ensure that power quality is maintained, grid operators require specific operational knowledge for these increasingly hybrid systems.
IRENA and the PPA convened the workshop to assist utilities to identify strategies and technology solutions that can help ensure grid stability, with increasing level of renewable energy inputs. The workshop involved presentations, case studies and discussions on topics such as renewable energy integration challenges in the Pacific islands, storage systems for integration, and grid assessments and modelling. The IRENA-PPA collaborative study on grid assessment was presented and discussed.
IRENA Island Initiative: Integration of renewable energy to island grids
Dolf Gielen, IRENA
Challenges in the renewable energy integration in the Pacific island grids
Herbert Wade, IRENA
IRENA-PPA collaborative study on grid assessment
Andrew Daka, Pacific Power Association
Grid stability assessment study: Experience and lessons learned in Niue
Roel Verlaan, KEMA
Grid stability assessment study: Australia PV Association studies undertaken of PV penetration on Carnarvon and Alice Springs grids
Geoff Stapleton, GSES
Dynamic modeling of island grids using simulation software tools
Koos Theron, DIgSILENT Pacific
Storage Systems for the integration of renewable energy
Srinivas Bharadwaj, GNB Industrial Power
The Networks Perspective: Integration issues and solutions
Wilhelm van Butselaar, SMA
The Networks Perspective: Integration issues and solutions
James Darbyshire, IS Systems