Enhanced Flexibility for Distributed Power Plants to Support Grid Operation
(Room Nile 1)
20 Sep 17
9:00 AM
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10:30 AM
Tracks:
Track E - Integration, Storage and Distributed Generation
Large scale deployment of intermittent renewable power generation is creating increasing technical and economic challenges for system operators, power generators and investors. System stability is compromised as inverter-connected wind turbines and photovoltaics do not provide the rotational system conventionally used to maintain grid frequency. In addition their variable nature power generation creates mismatches between supply and demand. Grid operators therefore require flexible, dispatchable thermal power plants to compensate for these changes. One available option is quick-starting Distributed Power Plant, located at strategically important locations in the network and based on multiple light industrial or aero-derivative gas turbines to provide the heart of a flexible fast response high efficiency solution. Such gas turbines can provide full load to the grid in minutes from standstill to provide fast response for peaking services or Short Term Operating Reserve (STOR) applications. While offering high open cycle efficiencies, the overall plant efficiency can be further enhanced by utilising a combined cycle configuration which now enables the plant to potentially address the mid-merit and even base load markets. By oversizing the steam turbine and adding supplementary firing to the boiler to boost steam production, this combined cycle plant can now be optimised for maximum power during high peak price periods, further increasing the flexibility of the power plant. This flexible CCGT can be further enhanced is by combining it with a Battery Energy Storage System (BESS). The BESS can be sized to instantaneously provide 100% of the power plant output, and slowly reduce its output as the gas turbine and steam turbine start generating. This now enables the same power plant to respond to demand within one second, and additionally offer faster frequency response services, while also potentially doubling the power available in peak electricity pricing periods.