Reactive Technologies System Inertia Measurement Demonstration

closed

Reactive Technologies will demonstrate and measure its inertia measurement technology (Grid-Sonar™) on the Australian power system. Historically, inertia provided by traditional synchronous generators (such as coal-fired power plants) has helped to support the reliability of the electricity grid. The Australian Energy Market Operator (AEMO) currently estimates levels of inertia using a variety of techniques, including power system simulations and by measuring empirical data after system disturbances. However, as more renewable generators come online, alternative ways to provide and measure inertia are needed to maintain a secure and reliable grid. The project will demonstrate the Grid-Sonar technology, which will measure system inertia by:Injecting power pulses using Neoen’s Victorian Big Battery to create small frequency deviations.Measuring the frequency deviations using specifically designed Extensible Measurement Units (XMUs) installed at 15 Victorian government office sites.Processing power and frequency data in the Grid-Sonar cloud platform to produce accurate inertia measurements.The project will also investigate the inertia contribution from Victoria relative to the rest of the system. The University of Melbourne will validate the results and assess the economic benefits based on future use cases for the technology. The project will improve understanding of inertia and variability on the Australian power system. Real time, accurate inertia data provided by Grid-Sonar will:provide crucial information to help with planning and operating a power system with low and variable inertia levelsreduce the need to curtail renewablesimprove power system securityoptimise OPEX and CAPEX spend by using accurate inertia data.Moving from estimates to real-time, accurate inertia measurements will help enable the Australian power system to achieve its decarbonisation objectives by allowing safe and cost-effective uptake of renewables while maintaining system reliability.

High