Challenges to integrate Renewables In the French and European Power System Michel Béna, SmartGrids Director EDF R&D, 7th november 2012
RTE, in a few words Owner and Operator of EHV and HV network from 400kV to 63kV 8500 employees 100 000 KM of circuits ¼ in 400kV 2600 SUBSTATIONS 46 INTERCONNECTIONS WITH 6 NEIGHBOURS
Plan Challenges : - Physical Integration: Connection The French Framework - Operational integration in the Power system Generation/Load Balance Issue More Renewables for the same Reliability - An issue at all geographical levels What solutions for what limits?
French Framework : work in progress Renewables Development Objectives at the Regional Level (SRCAE, Schémas Régionaux Climat Air Energie) approved by political Authorities. TSO gives its opinion. Connection Plan (S3REnR), carried out by RTE in relation with distribution companies - Adapted solutions with associated costs for both TSO and DSOs in order to fulfill these objectives in the ten years to come - This plan has to be submitted to political authorities 6 months after the SRCAE validation After the Connection Plan Approval, - Beginning of technical studies and relevant procedures - Generators are connected, paying a proportional fee
So far : SRCAE by 1st september 2012 All should be finished at the beginning of 2013
Generation / Load Balance Issue Generation / Load Balance at the National Level is mandatory in real-time for the security of the Power System RTE is responsible for this balance It has to react to potential consumption variation, intermittent generation, contingency on a power plant or on the network If this mission is not a new one, the new context makes it more difficult to carry out
Times change Consumption and wind power dont always match Flows don t know borders
Renewables and Power System Reliability Massively integrated, Renewables become important players of the Electric System Reliability : -First by their growing part in the Generation / Load balance - Secondly by their participation to the resilience of the System (Avoid PV Deconnection at 50.2 Hz for instance)
Challenges at all geographical levels
Solutions at large scale through the network A large network enables to share the ressources at the national scale and mitigate the intermitency effects Large Scale facilitates Renewables Prediction and then minimize additional back-up generation 0.9 0.8 0.7 0.6 0.5 0.4 0.3 0.2 0.1 0 Variabilité du solaire photovoltaïque journée d avril 2011 07:30 08:30 09:30 10:30 11:30 12:30 13:30 14:30 15:30 16:30 17:30 18:30 19:30 20:30 France Région Poste Parc RTE developed the IPES Software to predict wind and PV power (based en Informations brought by France Weather Agency)
Benefits of a smart pan-european network To optimize the integration of the different Generation mix at the european level Then the importance of interconnections and european coordination
German RES and interconnections
Solutions through grid codes (European Network of Transmission System Operators for Electricity)
For Instance : Connection Requirements Network Code for Requirements for Grid Connection applicable to all Generators https://www.entsoe.eu/resources/network-codes/requirements-forgenerators/ It has been approved by the association of european regulators It now has to be approved by the European Commission
Solution through European Coordination Coordination for Central West Europe (France / Benelux / Allemagne) to give a supranational overview
Solutions through R&D Projects 26 partners(generating companies, TSOs, manufacturers ) 10 Member States 3 years Project Budget : 60 M This project aims at «testing, developing new technologies in order to safely increase wind generation in Europe by 2020». RTE leader of a Work Package dealing with DC networks
Possible application in North-Sea At the European Level: technical, economic and legal issues to deal with
Solutions through market design Develop active demand to give more flexibility to the system, both interms of energy and peak demand management Develop new rules that give the opportunity to optimize both the integration of these new flexibilities and renewables generation on the energy markets.
As a conclusion : what limits for RES integration? No theorical limits depending on the appropriate network development adapted demand response mechanism adapted market design coordination at all scales, especially Europe Anyway, this is subject to environment / technical / costs constraints that are not known today. Thresholds in terms of integration must exist and further studies are carried out to find them. EDF R&D, 7th November 2012
Thanks for your attention! Michel.bena@rte-france.com http://www.smartgrids.rte-france.com