IEEE Electrification - December 2022 - 94

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Through subsequent panel sessions,
it was learned that in several
power systems around the world,
such as Great Britain (GB), Australia,
Hawaii, and others, ambitious environmental
policies
are speeding up the
need for new technologies,
such as GFM, to
deploy quickly and
provide the grid
services previously
inherently provided
by synchronous generators.
Julia Matevosyan,
the chief engineer
of ESIG, chaired
the closing panel session (Figure 2). In
addition, Benjamin Kroposki of the
National Renewable Energy Laboratory
delivered a talk (Figure 3).
The first comprehensive technical
specification for GFM IBRs in the
world was approved by the National
Grid Energy System Operator in GB
GFM capabilities and,
more generally, the
reliable operation
of a power system
with high shares of
IBRs are areas of
active research.
in 2021. The technical specification is
nonmandatory, subject to the development
of a necessary market
framework. Currently, GB already
procures the needed stability services
through the Stability
Pathfinder tender.
Five GFM batteries
were awarded in the
latest tender round
and will be conformant
with the specifications.
Another
example of proactively
addressing
the chicken-and-egg
issue is Hawaii
Electric Company, where all new
batteries are required to be GFM.
The studies were conducted on a
comprehensive model of the entire
island to understand the capabilities
of the newly proposed GFM batteries.
This was an iterative process
among study engineers, plant
developers, and inverter original
equipment manufacturers. The recommendation
is for the regions to
not wait until they must rely on
GFM IBRs to maintain grid reliability
but start today by building GFM
batteries and gaining experience
with this technology, iteratively
refining performance specifications
and models.
It is beneficial if GFM capability
requirements are harmonized
across power systems and are balanced,
specifying expected performance
rather than prescribing control
strategies. The U.S. Department
of Energy-funded project, the Universal
Interoperability for GridForming
Inverters Consortium, is
striving to achieve this goal, among
other tasks, by developing functional
specifications for GFM inverters.
A common theme across several
presentations was that not all IBRs
will need to be GFM and that some
advanced capabilities, such as, for
example, black start will not be
needed from all GFM IBRs.
Three major equipment manufacFigure
2. The closing panel session was chaired by Julia Matevosyan, the chief engineer of
ESIG. On the screen is Ryan Quint of the North American Electric Reliability Corp.
turers shared their views on equipment
capabilities and development
challenges. Batteries are recognized
as a low-hanging fruit for the deployment
of GFM capability because it
requires only control changes. While
manufacturers agreed that the additional
cost to make a battery GFM
is minimal, it is not zero and will
include the costs of the R&D of the
controls as well as any costs of customization
for specific applications.
This is where clear harmonized technical
specifications may provide efficiency
and R&D cost reduction. A discussion
on energy delivery with
GFM technology and an economic
value stream for the same was also
carried out.
GFM capabilities and, more generFigure
3. Benjamin Kroposki of the National Renewable Energy Laboratory delivering a talk.
94
IEEE Electrification Magazine / DECEMBER 2022
ally, the reliable operation of a power
system with high shares of IBRs
are areas of active research. Presentations
were made that showcased
the importance of potentially
IEEE Electrification - December 2022

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