Cagatay Cebeci, an engineer at the Electronic and Electrical Engineering Department of the University of Strathclyde in Glasgow, UK, has led a groundbreaking study published in Energies, exploring how Variable-Speed Hydropower Plants (VSHPs) can revolutionize grid stability and flexibility. This research delves into the increasing integration of renewable energy sources, which, while crucial for reducing greenhouse gas emissions, poses significant challenges to grid stability.
Cebeci and his team focused on enhancing the fault ride-through capabilities and ancillary services of VSHPs. They developed a comprehensive control strategy that integrates various controllers, including a Frequency Support Controller (FSC), a Virtual Synchronous Machine (VSM), a Vector Current Controller (VCC), and advanced control methods like Model Predictive Control (MPC) for the turbine governor. The MPC governor showed remarkable improvements, achieving reference tracking up to 99.42%.
The study underscores the importance of VSHPs in providing critical ancillary services such as synthetic inertia and frequency support. “The synthetic inertia provision is swift, completing within seconds of a frequency drop,” Cebeci explains. “Compared to fixed-speed approaches, the VSHP improves grid stability by minimising frequency dipping and achieving steady-state recovery remarkably faster.”
The implications for the energy sector are profound. As renewable energy sources like wind and solar become more prevalent, the grid faces increased instability due to their variable nature. VSHPs, with their ability to provide fast frequency reserves and synthetic inertia, can act as a stabilizing force, ensuring a more reliable and flexible power supply.
Cebeci’s research highlights the potential of VSHPs to support grids with high renewable penetration, offering a solution to the challenges posed by the intermittency of renewable energy sources. “By effectively providing critical ancillary services, the VSHP can become a transformative solution for future power grids, which are estimated to be more reliant on renewable energy sources,” Cebeci notes.
The study’s findings, published in Energies, could pave the way for more widespread adoption of VSHPs, enhancing grid stability and flexibility. As the energy sector continues to evolve, the integration of advanced control strategies like MPC with VSHPs could be a game-changer, ensuring a more resilient and efficient power grid.
