Technical Review of Non-conventional Statcom Applications

Completed

Other Power and Storage Technologies(Electricity transmission and distribution)

Applied Research and Development

ENGINEERING AND TECHNOLOGY (Electrical and Electronic Engineering)

Not Cross-cutting

Project Contact
SP Energy Networks

Network Innovation Allowance

Ofgem

01 February 2017

01 February 2017

6 months

£60,000

Power

Scotland

Network Innovation Allowance

Project Contact, SP Energy Networks

Project Contact, ScottishPower Manweb plc

The project has a number of deliverable objectives. Firstly, the technical review will produce a progress report with its findings, and will contain the application guide defining the areas where Statcoms could be used to deal with network issues. The second stage will produce both a cost-benefit analysis for the application of Statcoms, and a technical specification for Statcom applications, applicable to all stakeholders. The delivery of the above objectives, within budget and within agreed timelines, as is reasonable depending on the knowledge at this stage of the development phase. The project will be managed within SPEN applying due diligence and best practices where appropriate. The staged outcomes will include reports and specifications available for other licensees.

Currently, Statcoms have a low level of uptake on the electrical network- most Statcoms are used by industrial customers and generators, and network operators by and large have them as one-off installations which aren’t used as the basis for business-as-usual. The number and optimal location of the Statcoms on the network as a coordinated investment by network operators must therefore be considered. In addition, the business case for Statcoms has changed in recent years due to advancements in MOSFET technologies. This business case has not yet been reassessed by network operators, however. The full potential of Statcoms should be linked and compared with the services provided by conventional assets to network owners/operators. In the duration of this project, a review of current Statcom technologies will be carried out, with a strategy for taking them from a one-off installation to a business as usual reinforcement option. This will involve investigating whether Statcoms can be deemed a cost-effective alternative to conventional reinforcement for addressing voltage constraints on the network, particularly for the 11kV network. In addition to this review, four sites in Dumfries and Galloway will be studied in DIgSILENT to establish where Statcoms could be optimally located. This project will not cover the installation or implementation of the Statcom system, but will provide the groundwork for such a task for DNOs.Note : Project Documents may be available via the ENA Smarter Networks Portal using the Website link above

17/12/18