IEEE Power & Energy Magazine - September/October 2021 - 28

Improved generator control system tuning, network upgrades,
and targeted placement of synchronous condensers
are also important measures.
service requirements must be reviewed to ensure they are
appropriate for lower inertia conditions. In a separate article
in this issue, " Market Reform Initiatives in Australia: Essential
System Services in Grids Dominated by Renewable Energy, "
market reform initiatives to provide appropriate levels of grid
support services are discussed in detail.
Without timely action to address the regional and NEMwide
challenges identified in the RIS, operational limits will
restrict the output of wind and solar resources. This would limit
their maximum contribution at any given time in the NEM to
between 50 and 60% of the total generation. The NEM could
potentially be operated securely out to the beginning of Zone D
by 2025 with up to 75% of total generation coming from wind
and solar resources at any time. While a pathway has been
mapped for achieving such an outcome within five years, the
extent of work required to successfully adapt the NEM should
not be underestimated and will require an all-of-industry effort.
As the penetration further increases into Zone D, the system
strength is diminishing. Challenges are emerging for
system operators to maintain both the stability of the bulk
system and new generator connections to mitigate local system
strength issues. The treatment of these issues will be
through a combination of existing synchronous plants kept
online with reduced minimum generation levels or operating
generating units in synchronous condenser mode. Improved
generator control system tuning, network upgrades, and targeted
placement of synchronous condensers are also important
measures. All of these solutions will need to be explored
with advanced simulation techniques.
Operating a power system with 100% IBRs appears theoretically
achievable in the future. However, successful operation
under these dispatch conditions will require significant
reengineering of the power system. Some world-leading evidence
is coming from the Tasmanian islanded power system
(size 1 GW demand), which has operated at times with more
than 90% of its energy coming from IBRs.
Even with 100% of generation from IBRs for periods of
the day in a system such as the NEM (with abundant gas and
hydro resources), the generation mix could possibly swing to
100% synchronous generation within the same 24-h period.
The challenge for system planners and operators, or anyone
thinking about a high-renewable future, is not just how to
progressively transition from today's operational experience.
It also includes how to operate a future low-carbon power
system on a generation technology base that is constantly
shifting on an hourly basis.
28
ieee power & energy magazine
For Further Reading
" Maintaining power system security with high penetrations
of wind and solar generation international insights, " AEMO,
Australia. Accessed: July 8, 2021. [Online]. Available: https://
www.aemo.com.au/-/media/files/electricity/nem/security
_and_reliability/future-energy-systems/2019/aemo-ris
-international-review-oct-19.pdf
" Renewable integration study, " AEMO, Australia. Accessed:
July 8, 2021. [Online]. Available: https://aemo.com.au/
en/energy-systems/major-publications/renewable-integration
-study-ris
" Integrated system plan, " AEMO, Australia. Accessed:
July 8, 2021. [Online]. Available: https://aemo.com.au/
energy-systems/major-publications/integrated-system
-plan-isp/2020-integrated-system-plan-isp
" Primary frequency response implementation, " AEMO,
Australia. Accessed: July 8, 2021. [Online]. Available: https://
aemo.com.au/-/media/files/initiatives/primary-frequency
-response/2020/pfr-implementation-report-v11-20-jan-21
.pdf?la=en
" Transfer limit advice-System strength in SA and VIC, "
AEMO, Australia. Accessed: July 8, 2021. [Online]. Available:
https://aemo.com.au/-/media/files/electricity/nem/
security_and_reliability/congestion-information/transfer
-limit-advice-system-strength.pdf?la=en
" Activation of distributed energy resources in the energy
market, " EPRI. [Online]. Available: https://aemo.com.au/
-/media/files/electricity/nem/der/2019/standards-protocols/
epri-activation-of-der-in-the-energy-market-report.pdf
Biographies
Barry O'Connell is with Smarter Power Solutions,
Melbourne, Australia.
Chris Davies is with Australian Energy Market Operator,
Adelaide, South Australia, Australia.
Andrew Paver is with RINA, Melbourne, Victoria,
Australia.
Eloise Taylor is with Aither, Sydney, Australia.
Taru Veijalainen is with Australian Energy Market
Operator, Brisbane, Australia.
Rama Ganguli is with Australian Energy Market
Operator, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.
Christian Schaefer is with GHD, Melbourne, Victoria,
Australia.
p&e
september/october 2021
IEEE Power & Energy Magazine - September/October 2021

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