Guest Editorial: Selected Papers from the Wind and Solar Integration Workshop 2015

The 14th Wind and the 5th Solar Integration Workshop [The Call for Paper for the next workshops can be found here: http://www.windintegrationworkshop.org and http://www.solarintegrationworkshop.org] were held back-to-back in Brussels, Belgium in October 2015. The workshops attracted over 400 participants and around 170 outstanding papers covering world-wide grid integration experiences with variable renewable energy (VRE) through forecasting and modelling issues, to grid codes and market integration. Both workshops provide a forum for utilities, wind/PV/CSP project developers and power system professionals to exchange practical experience and share the latest innovations in the field. The best papers from both workshops were selected by popular vote among the participants. Their authors were then invited to submit their contributions to this IET Renewable Power Generation Special Issue. We believe the broad span of topics and the quality of the papers reflect well the diversity and vitality of the workshops in Brussels. When I organised the first Integration Workshop in 2000, I was hoping that the interest in VRE power system integration would increase in the future, but I did not expect that renewable energy, and with it VRE integration into power systems, would develop into such an important area, influencing power system operation world-wide. With the Paris Agreement now in place the VRE shares of the power system will continue to grow very fast, demonstrating how important the research in this area has become. I would like to thank all authors for their contribution to this Special Issue as well as all workshop participants in the last 15 years for their great support for the workshop. I hope you enjoy reading the selected 7 contributions as much as all workshop participants have. The papers that have been included in this Special Issue are: Requirements for inertial response (IR) from wind turbines (WTs) have been implemented or drafted by power systems (PSs) operators worldwide. This is a response to the replacement of conventional power plants using synchronous generators by non-synchronous, power electronics-based generation and the resulting effect on frequency dynamics in the case of contingency events. This study describes an improved version of an IR control system that enables a more PSs-friendly provision of such short-term frequency support. The new controls allow adjusting the duration of the recovery period. Results of dynamic simulations with both constant and variable wind-speed input as well as field test results of a multi-MW type 4 WT indicate that the new controls allow achieving a less pronounced active power drop, and therefore to enable WTs to provide IR without negative side effects during the recovery phase. This study presents the Hydro-Québec TransÉnergie experience regarding the grid code compliance tests that have been performed for the integration of wind power plants using type-III and type-IV technologies. Tests discussed in this study were conducted in two phases: validation of the performance requirements for each project and type tests on a single wind turbine generator for each technology involved. The study presents examples of results for each test module and measurements from online monitoring. Modern wind power plants (WPPs) are equipped with sophisticated controllers that allow various schemes to be used by manufacturers to meet grid code requirements. This includes active and reactive power controls as well as voltage control. Voltage control can be achieved in a number of different ways to satisfy the different grid codes, but also the project specific needs. Hydro-Québec TransÉnergie (HQT) has performed numerous dynamic studies related to the integration of WPPs and optimisation of their control schemes including voltage control. This study presents the HQT experience with various voltage control issues including tuning of the WPP controller and study cases of angle and voltage stability issues. This study addresses a detailed design and tuning of a wind power plant (WPP) voltage control with reactive power contribution of wind turbines and static synchronous compensators (STATCOMs). First, small-signal models of a single wind turbine and STATCOM are derived by using the state-space approach. A complete phasor model of the entire WPP is constructed, being appropriate for voltage control assessment. An exemplary wind power plant located in the United Kingdom and the corresponding grid code requirements are used as a base case. The performance of the voltage controller is analysed by means of a real-time digital simulation system. As a result it can be concluded that the linearised model of the entire WPP system is suitable for voltage control analysis. In this study, a technical and economic comparative analysis for evaluating the performance of various electrical photovoltaic (PV) plant configurations is presented. This methodology assessment is based on a holistic approach that calculates the levelised cost of energy (LCOE) considering the capital and installation cost of the PV components, as well as the operation and maintenance costs over the lifetime of the project. Also, the potential economic impact of the installation of batteries for providing flat-output response is investigated. The presented methodology compares the performance of six different configurations in three hypothetical PV power plants (1, 50 and 200 MW) located in Golden, Colorado, USA. The results obtained demonstrate that although some PV power plant configurations present better efficiency (higher performance ratio), they are not the most cost-effective solutions because of the requirement of extra equipment or the inclusion of expensive technologies. This study discusses the impact of market rules on the generation (and curtailment) from intermittent energy sources (IES), such as the design of support schemes, the priority dispatch rule for IES, negative prices and economic compensation for IES curtailment. It also describes the approaches applied in some European countries and alternative designs. An evaluation of these different market rules is assessed for the Spanish 2020 scenario by using a system operation model. The results show that with a feed-in-tariff and the priority dispatch rule, more generation from IES is fed-in into the system, and lower emissions are obtained. With negative prices and demand response, the feed-in-tariff scheme provides lower demand costs. Dr. Thomas Ackermann is founder and CEO of Energynautics GmbH, a German based research and consultancy firm active in seeking innovative solutions for renewables grid integration. He is the editor of the book Wind Power in Power Systems and main organizer of the Wind & Solar Integration Workshops (http://windintegrationworkshop.org/).

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