4.8GW of grid-forming BESS needed to maintain NSW system strength, says Transgrid
4.8GW of grid-forming BESS needed for NSW system strength
Australian transmission system operator, Transgrid, has released its Project Assessment Draft Report (PADR), indicating that 4.8GW of grid-forming battery energy storage systems (BESS) will be necessary to stabilise the grid in New South Wales (NSW) as more renewable energy generation is deployed.
Grid-forming BESS assets can provide inertia to maintain system stability through the integration of advanced inverters, which can be deployed as retrofits to existing assets as well as in new-build projects. The rotating mass of thermal power generators has historically offered this critical grid-balancing function.
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Alongside grid-forming BESS assets, Transgrid stated that a “diverse portfolio of solutions is required to meet NSW’s system strength needs, including synchronous condensers, modifications to existing and future synchronous machines, contracts with hydro, coal and gas assets”.
Specifically, the PADR outlines that between eight and 14 synchronous condensers are needed to replace the system strength lost due to retiring coal assets and support the rollout of renewable energy generation assets.
Contracts should also be established with existing hydro, gas, and coal generators to ensure they can switch on or operate in synchronous condenser mode when needed.
The executive general manager of network at Transgrid, Marie Jordan, outlined that the report is a “big step forward in our planning to ensure the heartbeat of the grid stays strong throughout the rapid transition” and that more supported must be provided to “new sources of system strength”.
“Renewable energy sources like wind and solar don’t have the same capabilities and need to follow a strong signal from the network, or they will disconnect, which is why we urgently need new sources of system strength,” Jordan said.
Transgrid operates and maintains the high-voltage electricity network in New South Wales, as well as the Australian Capital Territory (ACT).
Australia’s support for grid-forming technology
Aaron Gerdemann, senior business development manager at global solar inverter manufacturer SMA, said in PV Tech Power, Vol. 39, that grid-forming battery storage technology offers a rapid delivery of stored power and energ y, outperforming conventional synchronous power plants in terms of response time and efficiency.
According to Gerdemann, Australia’s unique energy landscape, particularly with the vast potential for solar and wind deployment, could offer insight into the “future of energy supply and grid stability” as the island nation attempts to integrate renewable energy into the grid seamlessly.
In December 2022, the Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA) announced its support for 2GW/4.2GWh of grid-forming BESS capacity, recognising the urgent need to bolster the grid’s stability.
Related Knowledge Center: Offshore wind energy
Over the next decade, U.S. offshore wind power is expected to grow from a single 30-megawatt wind farm off Rhode Island to more than 2,000 MW of capacity along the Atlantic Seaboard. There are contracts for wind power off the coasts of Massachusetts, Connecticut, New York, Maryland, New Jersey, Rhode Island, and Virginia.
The National Renewable Energy Laboratory has estimated the United States has over 4,000 gigawatts (GW) of offshore wind potential, enough to power the country four times over.
The growth in part being spurred by state solicitations, including in New York, where then-Gov. Andrew Cuomo (D) set a commitment of 9,000 MW of offshore wind by 2035, and in Connecticut, where in June 2021, Gov. Ned Lamont (D) signed legislation authorizing the construction of 2,000 MW of offshore wind by 2030.
The offshore development is also being driven by an investment tax credit set to end in December 2019 and is equal to 12 percent of expenditures. U.S. Sens. Susan Collins (R-Maine) and Tom Carper (D-Del.) have introduced a bill to extend the tax credit for up to eight years.
The Interior Department has held eight competitive lease sales that resulted in 15 offshore wind leases over 1.7 million acres that has the potential for 21 GW of capacity. In February 2022, the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management completed a bidding process that realized $4.37 billion for 488,000 acres across six lease areas in federal waters off New York and New Jersey.
Projects have also been proposed off the Southeast coast, off California and Hawaii, and for the Great Lakes.