Integrating Renewables in Power Systems:The clean energy corridors

IEC Affiliate Country Programme ForumFrankfurt, Germany

11 October 2016

Introduction to IRENA

• The Intergovernmental Organisation focused on renewable energy

• 149 members countries (including EU) and 27 in process of accession

2

Shift towards renewable energy

In 2015

◉ 47 GW PV, 63 GW wind power installed – more than 25% growth from the previous year◉ More than half of all new power generation worldwide is renewable

◉ Despite low fossil fuel prices

◉ USD 360 bln investments (USD 330 bln for power)

◉ Cost continue to fall◉ Solar PV USD 30-48/MWh in Dubai, Mexico, Peru

◉ Wind USD 30-37.5/MWh in Morocco and Peru

◉ 164 countries with RE policies in place

◉ The global energy transition is ongoing

0

25

50

75

100

125

150

175

200

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014

GW

Shar

e o

f n

ew e

lect

rici

ty g

ener

atin

g ca

pac

ity

Sixty percent of new capacity in the last two years

Renewables (GW) Non-renewables (GW)

Renewables (%) Non-renewables (%)

Renewables investments have overtaken non-renewables

Cost of renewable power will continue to fall

Renewable power generation cost will continue to fall:

-26% to -59% by 2025

Source: IRENA (2016) THE POWER TO CHANGE: SOLAR AND WIND COST REDUCTION POTENTIAL TO 2025

Expected growth in power technologies

2014

2030 reference

2030 REmap

Source: IRENA Remap 2016

Clean Energy Corridor of Central

America

African Clean Energy Corridor

Pan Arab Clean Energy Corridor

Greening ASEAN Power Grid

Clean Energy Corridors

Security of supply Regional markets Job creation

Reduction of

environmental

impacts

Economic

competitiveness

and economies of

scale

8

CEC Pillars - Africa Clean Energy Corridor progress

RE Zoning and Resource Assessment

Cost-effective, high potential solar PV, CSP and wind zones

identified in EAPP and SAPP.

Country and Regional Planning

Least-cost System Planning Test models developed to

support

planning for long-term power generation expansion plans.

Enabling Frameworks for Investment

Supporting sustainable power system regulation

development through development of enabling

governance frameworks based on global good practices.

Capacity Building:

Various training workshops held for RE Zoning, RE planning

tools and planning governance for the

integration of RE in the power system.

9

Country and Regional Planning

Zoning and Resource Assessment

Public Information

Central America Clean Energy Corridor – Priority Pillars

Enabling Frameworks & Capacity Building

TECHNICAL ENABLING REGULATORY ENABLING

Focus group: System

operatorsAim: Keeping the lights on

Focus group: System

regulatorsAim: Keeping the costs low

MAINTAIN MOMENTUM FOR RE INVESTMENTS

Energy resources in power systems

Depending on local conditions, some of these are more easily available to each country’s economies. Especially wind power and solar irradiation come with the additional constraint of time-variability, therefore called Variable Renewable Energies (VRE).

VRE

Wind Power

Solar Irradiation

Time variability

Not easily stored (without energy

conversion)

IntegrationElectric Power System

Current and future VRE share in annual generationG20 Countries

12

- Grid connection codes

- Flexible generation mix- Grid planning and system

optimisation- Grid investments needs- Interconnectors- Renewable energy zoning

- Distribution automation

- Advanced meters

- Smart inverters

- Synchrophasors

- Storage

- Off-grid business

models and project

design

- RE Market design for

Cyprus

- Baseload power needs

- Tariff setting

- System & operational

planning

ENERGY

PLANNING/

ECONOMICS

TECHNICAL

REGULATION

INTEGRATION

TECHNOLOGIES

MARKET

DESIGN

SYSTEMS

OPERATIONS

IRENA’s activities so far

Unbundling and the need to coordinate system actors

Traditional power system

• Centralized generation

• Utility owns grid andgenerators

• Internal rules andrequirements

Unbundled power system

• Decentralizedgeneration

• Separated ownership

• Need for grid codegovernance

Identifying the Challenges

Seconds

Years

Impacts.

Stability, Voltage &

Frequency Response

Non-Synchronous

Unit commitment &

Reserve allocationUncertainty

Dispatchable

capacity utilisation &

cycling (start-ups)

Ramp Capability

Requirements

Variability

Location &

modularity

Power flows

Voltage

VRE PROPERTIES

Planning of the

Grid operation

to ensure

security

System

operation

Generation

Adequacy

planning

IMP

AC

TS D

EP

EN

D O

N S

YSTE

M C

HA

RA

CTE

RIS

TIC

S

T&D Grid

Adequacy

planning

Technical Requirements - When are they needed?

The most important driver for necessity of certain technical requirements for VRE generators is the VRE share in the power system:

VR

E S

ha

re

Protection

Fully-Fledged Frequency Control

Fully-Fledged Voltage Control

Synthetic Inertia

Operating Reserves

Active Power Gradient Limitation

Simulation Models

Communication

Low Voltage Ride Through

Reactive Power Capability

Power Reduction at Overfrequency

low

hig

h

Power Quality

Active Power Management

International standardsExchanging international experiences & practices

• International

standards: Platform of

discussion on

good

practices

• Compliance

with codes: Quality

infrastructure

for electro-

technical sector

Grid Connection Codes - Stakeholders

By applying at the boundary between power system and generator facility, technical requirements in grid connection codes affect different stakeholders in unbundled power systems. Grid codes are a means to achieve fair and transparent treatment of these system actors and enable efficient coordination.

18

Grid Codes and their Relation to Energy Policy

• Too onerous requirements can prevent reaching energy policy targets.

• Too lax requirements can cause reliability or stability issues if renewable installations surpass expectations.

• Well-structured Grid Code revision processes are crucial.

• Anticipate the needs of a changed system!

Example: German 50.2 Hz problem

• All PV generators were required to disconnect from the grid if the frequency exceeded 50.2 Hz

• Increase in PV installations exceeded all expectations

• Disconnection of all PV generators at the same time can now lead to the loss of too much generation

• Grid code had to be revised, installations needed to be retrofitted

2.5 % of peak

demand –

safe!

45 % of peak demand

– disconnection leads

to inevitable system

failure!

19

Download full report for free

Link:http://www.irena.org/DocumentDownloads/Publications/

IRENA_Grid_Codes_2016.pdf

The Age of Renewable Power is here

More information, please contact:

Francisco Boshell: Fboshell@irena.org