Project DESERT (hybrid battery and solar enhanced frequency control)

Reference: NIA_NGET0193

Status: Complete

Start Date: Sep 2016

End Date: Mar 2018

Funding Licencee(s): National Grid Electricity System Operator

Contact: Lilian Macleod

Funding Mechanism Network Innovation Allowance

Research Area: ED - Network improvements and system operability

Core Technology(ies): Energy Storage

Estimated Expenditure: £500,000.00

Introduction:

Optimise operating characteristics for battery storage and solar PV to provide enhanced frequency response and the response distribution between battery and solar PV
Coordinate response with high ramp rate (solar) that can cause high system volatility with a battery that can provide a sustained response if required
Demonstrate additional reactive power support from battery storage; absorption of overnight reactive power or during high PV output
Outcomes to be coordinated with the EFCC project to better realise the innovative control system coordination with other resources. Further, the alignment with the EFCC project will enhance the objective of development of a specification for a new commercial system balancing service to assist the GB system operator in being able to securely operate the system in a future with high levels of non-synchronous generation.

Objectives:

Innovative command and control schemes will be implemented that enable the battery to respond to external control signals.
Demonstrate how battery storage can best be coordinated to provide an optimised response across a range of resource providers.
Optimise the capability of battery storage and solar PV power plants in delivering grid services on different levels.
Support the development of performance requirements in parallel with EFCC (NIC) project for roll out of a new balancing

Expected Benefits: The project is successful if we improve understanding of

Availability of batteries for enhanced frequency response with solar PV including impact on OPEX costs
Potential market share of battery storage and solar PV in ancillary service market
Site specific benefits and limitations of enhanced frequency response at as well as for voltage stabilisation
Potential contribution of battery storage combined with renewables towards the availability and volume of frequency response, reactive power support