INCENTIVE – Innovative control and energy storage for ancillary services in offshore wind

Completed

Renewable Energy Sources(Wind Energy)
Other Power and Storage Technologies(Electricity transmission and distribution)
Other Power and Storage Technologies(Energy storage)

Applied Research and Development

ENGINEERING AND TECHNOLOGY (Electrical and Electronic Engineering)

Not Cross-cutting

Project Contact
National Grid Electricity Transmission

Network Innovation Allowance

Ofgem

01 August 2022

01 February 2023

6 months

£495,408

Power

London

Project Contact, National Grid Electricity Transmission

Project Contact, SSEN Scottish Hydro Electric Transmission

Project Contact, National Grid plc

SIF Innovation Challenge: whole systems integration. INCENTIVE will meet the aims of this challenge as set out in the answer below. INCENTIVE will enable low-cost future-fit networks that support net zero goals, by seeking to bring innovative “INCENTIVE solutions” to market. Discovery found that doing so requires a whole-systems approach to the innovation. INCENTIVE is improving coordination between networks, generators, suppliers, policy makers and regulators, by collaboratively investigating INCENTIVE solutions, with a view of developing a path to commercialisation. The large consortium (including nine Offshore Wind Farm (OWF) developers and networks) and the range of INCENTIVE solutions proposed provides an optimum approach avoiding duplication of this work. Technology requirements are being developed that will reduce variation in the INCENTIVE solutions capabilities. Complexity and bureaucracy for the INCENTIVE solutions are being reduced by studying regulation, whilst barriers to entry are being reduced by studying their value to the consumer and technical capabilities. Discovery has evolved our understanding by finding a range of innovative solutions that could be used to strengthen the stability of the network. These are the following, located at the point of grid connection of an OWF. The technologies, combined with their implementation at the point of OWF connection, are termed “INCENTIVE solutions” in this application: grid-forming battery energy storage systems (BESS). This would replace a traditional STATCOM at the onshore substation of an OWF. Some grid-forming BESSs have been deployed before on the GB grid; however, their implementation as a replacement of the STATCOM of an OWF (which has commercial and technical complexity) has not yet been demonstrated; grid forming STATCOM (including super capacitor energy storage). This would replace a traditional STATCOM at the onshore substation of an OWF. This is novel technology that has not yet been used at the connection of OWFs to the onshore GB network; synchronous condenser. This could be placed at the onshore substation of an offshore wind farm. Synchronous condensers are not novel technologies. However, their use at the onshore points of connection of an offshore wind farm (which has commercial and technical complexity) needs to be evaluated, to ensure that the more innovative technologies demonstrate clear benefits; updated HVDC terminal capable of providing inertia. This would replace a standard HVDC terminal (not uprated, not capable of providing inertia) at the onshore connection point of an HVDC-connected OWF. This is novel technology that has not yet been used at the connection of OWFs to the onshore GB network. Discovery has: shown commercial potential for INCENTIVE solutions; developed testing requirements to prove INCENTIVE solutions capabilities; and identified knowledge gaps regarding the commercial and technical implementation of INCENTIVE solutions, which need to be examined further before INCENTIVE solutions can be commercialised. PartnersDiscovery found that, to address the needs of all INCENTIVE solution users, market, technical, regulatory, commercial and market innovation is required to happen simultaneously. INCENTIVE therefore needs cooperation between network companies, generators and technical experts. The partnership brings together all these necessary stakeholders through SSEN-T, NGESO, Strathclyde University, and Carbon Trust (representingthe nine OWA developers). By developing simple regulatory, commercial and market frameworks for OWFs to provide stability services, INCENTIVE will benefit the whole system and all stakeholders in the energy system. UsersNetwork owners will use INCENTIVE solutions to facilitate stable connection of offshore wind farms to their networks. System Operator (ESO) will procure INCENTIVE solutions to provide stability services. INCENTIVE solution owners will use INCENTIVE solutions to reduce OWF curtailment. Consumers will also benefit from the integration of INCENTIVE solutions through the increased access to fossil-fuel free generation.

14/10/22