Survey of Grid-Forming Inverter Applications

Julia Matevosyan, Lead Planning Engineer, ERCOT

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Energy Systems Integration Group
Charting the Future of Energy Systems Integration and Operations
**This presentation is being recorded**
ESIG High Inverter-Based Resource Task Force
Objective:
• Develop an understanding of the options for stable operation of future power systems with a very high share of Inverter-Based
Resources (wind, solar and storage), and a roadmap for making the transition from the power system of today, working with
research organizations, OEMs, and system operators to build a consensus.
White paper:
• “The Role of Grid Forming Technology to Enable Energy Systems Integration”
‒ Introduction
‒ System Needs
‒ Technologies to Serve System Needs
‒ Brief Description of Grid Forming Control Methods
‒ Characterization of Grid Forming Resources to Support System Needs
‒ International Project References of Grid Forming Applications
‒ Experiences with Interconnection Requirements for Grid Forming Resources
‒ Study Tools
‒ Future Outlook for Grid Forming Resources

Energy Systems Integration Group

Charting the Future of Energy Systems Integration and Operations
Acknowledgements
• Jason MacDowell, Sebastian Achilles, Sid Pant, Shruti D Rao, GE
• Deepak Ramasubramanian, EPRI
• Andrew Isaacs, Electranix
• Luke Robinson, Nilesh Modi, AEMO
• Babak Badrzadeh, Aurecon
• Nick Miller, Hickory Ledge
• Andrew Roscoe, Siemens Gamesa Renewable Energy
• Helge Urdal, Urdal Power Solutions
• Gary Custer, Thorsten Bülo, SMA
• And many others!
Energy Systems Integration Group
Charting the Future of Energy Systems Integration and Operations
 Grid Following vs Grid Forming Definitions
• Grid-Following: Most IBRs currently in service rely on fast synchronization with the external grid (termed “grid-
following”) to tightly control their active and reactive current outputs. If these inverters are unable to remain
synchronized during grid events or under challenging network conditions, they are unable to maintain
controlled, stable output.
• Grid-Forming: The primary objective of grid-forming controls for IBRs is to maintain an internal voltage phasor.
When grid-forming controls are applied in bulk power system (BPS) connected IBRs, the voltage phasor is held
constant in the sub-transient to transient time frame. This allows the IBR to immediately respond to changes in
the external system and provide stability in the controls during challenging network conditions. This phasor
must be controlled to maintain synchronism with other devices and control active and reactive currents to
support the grid. When grid-forming controls are applied in non-BPS connected IBRs (for example black-start or
microgrids), this synchronization functionality is removed or limited, and the voltage phasor may be held
relatively constant over time. This allows the plant to operate in an electrical island and define the grid
frequency.
• There are many variations of both grid-forming and grid-following converter controls. Both are subject to
physical equipment constraints including voltage, current and energy limits, mechanical equipment constraints
(on WTGs) as well as external power system limits.
Source: ESIG White Paper “The Role of Grid Forming Technology to Enable Energy
Energy Systems Integration Group
Systems Integration”, draft
Charting the Future of Energy Systems Integration and Operations
Circular Problem
OEMs: No clear Operators: Examples of Max
specs and Challenging to Islanded or Instantaneous
demand to require functionalities Weakly Penetration
develop GFM from IBRs that are
technology not widely available Interconnected (IBR/Demand)
Systems
Ireland 95%
Tasmania 92%
ERCOT 66%
Shrinking market Operational
volumes for OEMs Constraints South Australia 150%

Solutions: Pilot/Test Projects in the field or interconnection

More difficult to requirements based on system needs (ahead of widely available
connect further
IBRs technology)

Energy Systems Integration Group

Charting the Future of Energy Systems Integration and Operations
Handful of Pilots/Test Projects Around the World
and First Interconnection Requirements for GFM
• Number of BESS for microgrids and black start of simple cycle gas turbines (GE)
• BESS on St Eustatius island (SMA)
• Dersalloch Wind Farm in Scotland (Siemens Gamesa)
• Dalrymple BESS in South Australia (Hitachi ABB)
• Hornsdale BESS in South Australia (Tesla)
• Drivers behind GFM Trails in Australia
• Stability Pathfinder in Great Britain (National Grid ESO)
• Proposed (non-mandatory) Grid Forming Interconnection Requirements in Great
Britain (National Grid ESO)

Energy SystemsIf youIntegration

know of other practical examples and bulk grid applications please reach out to
Group
julia.matevosyan@ercot.com
Charting the Future of Energy Systems Integration and Operations
GE Grid Forming BESS for Black Start 30 x
1.25MVA

Key GFM BESS Projects:

• Metlakatla Power & Light 1MW/1.4MWh-1995
• Vernon CA 5MW/2.5MWh- 1996
• Battery Energy Storage System of 30MW/22MWh- IID
for GT blackstart, 2017
Industrial
• Black start of simple cycle HDGT with 7.5 MW x 7.5 Load
MWh BESS, 2019
• Black start of combined cycle HDGT with 13 MW x 13
MWh BESS, 2020
• DOE SETO project – Advanced Grid Forming Inverter
Controls, Modeling and System Impact Study for
92kV Imperial Irrigation District (IID) 30MW,
inverter dominated grids, started 2020 20MWh BESS project -2017

Source: Shruti D Rao, Sudipta Dutta, Min Lwin, Dustin Howard, Ryan Konopinski, Sebastian Achilles,
Energy Systems
Jason Integration
MacDowell,Group“Grid-forming Inverters –Real-life Implementation Experience And Lessons
Charting the Future of Energy Systems Integration and Operations
Learned”, IET RPG 2021
 Microgrid example: St. Eustatius
Commercial Pilot deployed in November 2017
• 2.3 MW peak load, 14 GWh yearly energy consumption
• 9 diesel gensets 4 MVA, 4.15 MW PV, 5.9 MWh Li-Ion BESS 2/3 with GFM
• Plant controller sends start/stop signals to gensets, does frequency and
voltage control during genset-free operation, transfers frequency and
voltage control to the genset controller while the gensets are running
• Load distribution between several parallel GFM units (no communication)
• Diesel-off mode (100% Storage + Solar)
• Seamless immediate load transfer after generation contingency
(simultaneous loss of all gensets at peak load), 0.6 Hz frequency dip,
restored within 3 s, no load shedding.
• Voltage ride-though for various faults and operating modes.

Source: https://www.smainverted.com/st-eustatius-100-solar-power-in-the-caribbean/
Energy Systems Integration
O. Schömann, Group
T. Bülo, C. Hardt, A. Falk, P. R. Stankat “Experiences with Large Grid Forming Inverters on the
Charting the Future of Energy Systems Integration and Operations
Island of St. Eustatius, Portability to Public Power Grids”, 8th Solar Integration Workshop, 2018
Testing Existing Siemens-Gamesa Wind Turbines in
GFM Mode: Grid-Connected Operation
23 direct-drive full converter wind turbines, 69 MW, operated in GFM mode for 6 weeks (May –
June 2019) in Dersalloch, Scotland.
• Virtual Synchronous Machine control method used.
• Various inertia constants tested during the trail H=0.2s, 4s and 8s.
• Six large underfrequency events with RoCoF up to 0.11 Hz/s and frequency drop up to -0.5 Hz.
• Additionally, large frequency event was induced with RoCoF=-1 Hz/s, f=-3 Hz, H=8 s.
• No significant grid voltage phase steps occurred but small steps were induced (up 0.2).
• The wind power plant was able to respond to the events autonomously and immediately with
power injections as expected with the inertia levels configured.
• No turbine trips due to stalling, over-power, over-current etc. during the grid events.
Limitations:
• Turbine’s ability to respond may be effected if wind speed is declining during the response.
• Turbines ability to respond at low or zero power output is extremely low.

Energy SystemsSource: A. Roscoe,Group

Integration et.al. “Practical Experience of Operating a Grid Forming Wind Park and its
Response to Systems
SystemIntegration
Events, 18 th Wind Integration Workshop, 2019
Charting the Future of Energy and Operations
Testing Existing Siemens-Gamesa Wind Turbines in
GFM Mode: Island Operation and Black Start
In August-October 2020 it was successfully
demonstrated that Dersalloch wind farm
• Can operate autonomously in islanded mode
with small number of wind turbines operating
in GFM mode.
• Can re-synchronize from islanded to grid-
connected mode of operation.
• Can black start the wind farm from a number
of black start-capable wind turbines, extending
energization to the transmission network all
the way up to 132kV/275kV transformer and
re-synchronization with the grid.

Energy SystemsSource: A. Roscoe,

Integration et.al. “Practical Experience of Providing Enhanced Grid Forming Services from
Group
an Onshore
Charting the Future of Energy Wind
SystemsPark”, 19thand
Integration Wind Integration Workshop, 2020
Operations
Hitachi ABB Energy Storage for Commercial
Renewable Integration (ESCRI) in GFM mode
• Dalrymple BESS in South Australia is the largest grid-connected
GFM BESS in the world, at 30 MVA and 8 MWh.
• Virtual Synchronous Machine control method is used
• It is the first large scale, grid-forming BESS connected to Australian
transmission system
• Installed in 2018, near the end of a long 132 kV single-circuit
radial feeder close to 91 MW wind farm, local load up to 8 MW
and 2 MW of local rooftop PV
• In the first six months of operation, reduced the loss of supply in
the area from 8 hours to 30 minutes.

Source: “Grid Forming Energy Storage: Provides Virtual Inertia, Interconnects Renewables and
Energy Systems Integration Group
Unlocks
Charting the Future Revenue”,
of Energy Systems https://go.hitachi-powergrids.com/grid-forming-webinar-2020
Integration and Operations
Contribution to the ESIG White Paper by Luke Robinson, AEMO
Hitachi ABB Energy Storage for Commercial
Renewable Integration (ESCRI) in GFM mode
The services provided by the project include:
• Inertia –can provide virtual inertial response, reducing RoCoF after a sudden loss of load or generation. This
is different to Fast Frequency Response (FFR).
• System Strength –can operate at very low Short Circuit Ratios (<<1.5). It is also able to provide system
strength support via short-term fault current overload (2-3 pu).
• Islanded operation – regulates the frequency in the microgrid by utilizing virtual inertia, primary and
secondary frequency control. Additionally, can adjust the system frequency to invoke curtailment of behind-
the-meter DER to avoid over generation conditions.
• Black start capability – can black start the local 33 kV distribution network with 8 MW demand. Voltage is
ramped up slowly to prevent inrush current and harmonics (soft energization).
• System Integrity Protection Scheme (SIPS) – providing fast active power injection into the grid following a
significant loss of generation. The GFM BESS can be operating at full capacity within 250 ms if a network
event is detected at the interstate AC interconnector, 370 km away in the South East of South Australia.

Source: Contribution to the ESIG White Paper by Luke Robinson, AEMO

Energy Systems Integration
Cherevatskiy, Group
Sproul et al, Grid Forming Energy Storage System addresses challenges of grids with
Charting the Future of Energy Systems Integration and Operations
high penetration of renewables (A case study), 18th Wind Integration Workshop, 2019
Tesla Hornsdale BESS
• BESS co-located with the Hornsdale Wind Farm in South Australia
• Installed in 2017, 100 MW/129 MWh provided energy and FCAS
• In 2020 expanded to 150 MW/194 MWh
• Two inverters currently operate in virtual machine mode (VMM)
• The VMM component runs in parallel with the conventional GFL component
• Under stable system conditions, the inverter’s behavior is driven by the
current source component
• During grid disturbances, VMM produces an active power response
proportional to RoCoF and produces a reactive current in response to
changes in voltage
• “Real life”- tested in a frequency event created by a coal plant explosion and
subsequent trip of neighboring units on 5/25/2021
• “Virtual machine mode” to the rest of that battery is expected by the end of
the year once extensive modelling and testing is complete.
Source: https://reneweconomy.com.au/virtual-machine-hornsdale-battery-steps-in-to-protect-grid-
Energy Systems Integration Group
after-callide-explosion/
Charting the Future of Energy Systems Integration and Operations
https://arena.gov.au/assets/2021/06/arena-insights-webinar-advanced-inverters-presentations.pdf
Drivers behind GFM Trials in AEMO
• Australian Energy Market Operator (AEMO) enforces minimum inertia and
system strength requirements in parts of the grid, e.g. South Australia.
• New IBRs should not reduce system strength in the area.
• Screening and full studies (EMT simulations) to assess the impact and propose
mitigation measures such as:
− Network upgrades,
− Synchronous condensers,
− Contracting synchronous generation for provision of system strength,
− Use of GFM technology allowing the resource to stably operate down to 0 short
circuit ratio,
− Controller tuning of the existing IBRs
− Remedial Action Schemes (post-contingency)
• Interconnecting entity is responsible for the cost of implementation of these
measures.

Energy Systems Integration Group

Charting the Future of Energy Systems Integration and Operations
National Grid ESO Stability Pathfinder
Phase I: Most cost-effective way to increase Phase II: Most cost-effective way to increase both
inertia and system strength across GB stability (short circuit level) & inertia in Scotland
Concluded in January 2020 with 12 awarded contracts to Expression of Interest for Phase II closed on January 8,
5 providers in 7 locations 2021 and NG ESO is reviewing the submitted solutions.
Stages: Stages:
1. Identified stability needs across GB 1. Identified stability needs across GB (complete)
2. Launched request for information 2. Launched request for information (complete)
3. Launched tender 3. Launched Expression of Interest (complete)
4. Published results 4. Launch Feasibility Study (pending)
Specifies attributes such as: 5. Launch Tender (pending)
• Short circuit level contribution ≥ 1.5 p.u. Specifies attributes (in addition to Phase I req.) such as:
• Inertia ≥ 1.5 p.u • Voltage source behind impedance behavior
• Steady state voltage & frequency • Inertial power (start in <5ms)
• Transient voltage & angle stabilization • Phase-jump power (start in <5ms)
• Fast fault current injection • Fast fault current injection (start in <5ms)
• ROCOF withstand • Power oscillation damping
• Transient overvoltage
• Performance under min short circuit level
Energy Systems Integration
Source: Group
https://www.nationalgrideso.com/future-of-energy/projects/pathfinders/stability/Phase-1
Charting the Future of Energy Systems Integration and Operations
https://www.nationalgrideso.com/future-of-energy/projects/pathfinders/stability/Phase-2
National Grid GC0137 Grid Forming Requirements
Proposed non-mandatory GB GFM Requirements: Proposed GB GFM spec targets the same
• Must have internal voltage source behind reactance performance attributes as a synchronous machine
• Maintain synchronism and stability up to 60o phase jump
• Supply RoCoF Response Power (and withstand 2Hz/sec),
phase jump power, damping (DF between 0.2-5.0), fast
fault current injection (iq between 1.0-1.5pu), control-
based real & reactive power
• Control power with bandwidth < 5 Hz to avoid oscillations
• Operate at a minimum short circuit level
• Must stably inject current for balanced and unbalanced
faults that increases with the fall in the retained voltage
without exceeding the peak current rating
GB – Great Britain
• Demonstrate all attributes of performance for GFM via GBGF-I – Invert-Based Grid Forming Plant
type-tests and simulation models GBGF-S – Synchronous Generators
Conventional – Grid Following Inverter-Based Resource
Proposed GB GFM requirements are now under ballot VSM0H – Virtual Synchronous machine without power
and are expected to be implemented in Q4 2021

Source:
Energy Systems https://www.nationalgrideso.com/industry-information/codes/grid-code-
Integration Group
old/modifications/gc0137-minimum-specification-required
Charting the Future of Energy Systems Integration and Operations
 Breaking the circular problem: GFM technology deployment
• Regulators
How much
• System / Grid operators What can
does it cost?
What do
Codes, standards, Grid Owners
you do? you need?
• Transmission companies trading practice & Operators
Stakeholder
• Generation utilities
ecosystem
• Distribution utilities
• Developers & Investors
• OEMs Technology
Grid Owner/
Operator
Equipment
Owner
OEM OEMs & Equipment Owners
System needs, trends and the role of stakeholders, requirements & trading mechanisms:
• Interoperability between all resources to prevent instability and interactions under all system conditions
• Solutions for loss of synchronous inertia and support grid frequency to keep the system stable
• System restoration and black start as well as weak grid control stability
• Tools, modeling & planning practices that fully identify system risks and capabilities of equipment to mitigate risks
• Grid codes, interconnection requirements and market mechanisms play a critical role in the deployment of new technology
capabilities like Grid Forming IBRs to meet above grid needs
• Collaboration between regulators, system operators, equipment owners and OEMs is imperative to define requirements and
mechanisms to deploy technology and break chicken-egg dilemma (What comes first? Requirements or capabilities?)
https://www.ultain.ie/en/news/spoken-word-conversation-3

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 Thank you! Questions?

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Charting the Future of Energy Systems Integration and Operations