System Operator Research & Peer Learning - Global Power System Transformation Consortium (G-PST)

Pillar 1 – System Operator Research & Peer Learning

Representatives from leading global technical institutes and the G-PST Founding System Operators (FSOs) have formulated and are currently pursuing a research agenda that lays out the near-term applied research priorities of the FSOs. The research informed by this agenda will support power system operators in reliably and cost-effectively achieving very high penetrations of inverter-based resources (IBRs) on their power systems over the next decade. The results of the research will be shared with all system operators globally.

Pillar 1 activities are guided by the Research Agenda Group (RAG) under the CEOs of the Founding System Operators and will be conducted by researchers across the globe who choose to tackle these research questions. In addition to the RAG, Pillar 1 also includes a Research Advisory Committee (RAC), consisting of members from advanced system operators, energy companies, manufacturers, universities, national labs and consultants.

Focused Research Teams

To increase the impact of its activities, the RAG developed several focused research teams to provide fundamental underpinnings to more detailed research questions in the research agenda. These teams are made up of subject matter experts from the FSOs and leading researchers from the Core Team of the G-PST.

The Inverter-based Resources Research Team is investigating how the fundamental needs of the power system can be supplied by Inverter-Based Resources (IBRs) and where additional research will be needed to access these capabilities. In parallel, this team also addresses how the tools and models we currently use to study the power system will need to be updated (or superseded) in light of the grid’s changing nature with increasing IBRs.

The Resource Adequacy Research Team is investigating how the rise of variable, energy limited resources combined with severe weather events driven by climate change will require changes to planning practices to ensure low-cost reliable power systems of the future.

Learn more about the RAC and how to get involved.

Research Repository

In addition to these research teams, Pillar 1 has also developed an extensive Research Repository, which details current and recent research projects from around the world that are well-aligned with the Inaugural Research Agenda. This repository can be used by funding and research institutions to ensure they are up-to-date with the latest research and not duplicating efforts. Well-aligned projects may also receive support from the FSOs in terms of input and demonstration opportunities.

This Research Repository is a working document, and more contributions are welcomed. Your contributions help the G-PST assess relevant and ongoing research so that we can identify gaps in research and find ways in improve and increase collaboration.

Do you have a project that should be included in the research agenda? View the Research Repository and select the “Submit Your Project” button.

All contributors will be invited to a one-day workshop in London on November 10, 2022.

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View Research Repository

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Latest Accomplishments

2709, 2022

G-PST/ESIG Webinar Series: Update on Changing Role of Resources and Growth of Utility Scale Storage

September 27, 2022

Featured Speaker: Robert Kott, Operations Policy Manager, California Independent System Operator

This presentation provides an update on the current state of supply resources for the California Independent System Operator (CAISO) balancing authority area (BAA) and the expected future state of the resource mix as CAISO continues an energy transition toward 60 percent renewable and 100 percent zero carbon resources. This includes a description of an effective resource adequacy program, a review of the resource mix with respective contributions to serving a varying load profile, a summary of the future changes to the resource mix based on the interconnection queue and an overview of the drivers behind the energy transition. The resource mix discussion examines the rapidly increasing role of battery storage resources and the challenges these resources are presenting to operations. Examples of peak operating periods showed how resources perform to meet load and renewable resource variability.

Review the presentation slides.

1609, 2022

G-PST/ESIG Webinar Series: Operating the System Towards Zero Carbon

30 August 2022

National Grid Electricity System Operator (ESO) plays a very important role of ensuring that Great Britain has the essential energy it needs by making sure supply meets demand every second of every day. The flow of electricity is getting more complex in the GB system with key features of more renewable energy and interconnectors; a growing number of ways to source electricity as well as more participants in “demand side response”. National Grid ESO is working hand in hand with the energy industry and continually finding ways to innovate, invest and adapt the electricity system to keep electricity flowing reliably to homes and businesses across Great Britain. As an active member of the G-PST Consortium, National Grid ESO will use this webinar to share a series of good practices featuring five speakers who will cover the following topics below in support of the UK’s Net-zero energy transition:

GB Grid Forming Grid Code Development (Antony Johnson)
GB Grid Forming Best Practice Guide Development (Dechao Kong)
Stability Constraint Management – Stability Pathfinder Program (Shurooque Baloch)
System Strength Management – Innovation Project of Strength To Connect (Xiaoyao Zhou)
Inertia Measurement (Anna Blackwell)

Speakers:

Antony Johnson, Engineer and IET Member, National Grid ESO
Dr. Dechao Kong, Engineer, National Grid ESO
Shurooque Baloch, Engineer, National Grid ESO
Dr. Xiaoyao Zhou, Engineer, National Grid ESO
Anna Blackwell, Product Manager (Inertia & Frequency), National Grid ESO

Watch the Recording

1609, 2022

G-PST/ESIG Webinar Series: Wind and Solar Power Forecast Management

12 July 2022

As of May 31, 2022, ERCOT has integrated about 35,755 MW of wind and 11,669 MW of solar capacity on its grid. ERCOT currently receives both hourly and intra-hour 5-minute wind and solar forecasts from three different vendors and has built tools and processes to integrate these various forecasts into ERCOT’s Real Time operations and forward-looking studies. Since about 2018, ERCOT has had a “pay-for-performance” payment structure with its wind forecast vendors that incentivizes improvements in forecast performance during hours that are critical to Real-Time operations. ERCOT has been continuously improving the design of its Ancillary Services (aka “operational reserves”) program including creating new analysis tools to better manage the challenges brought by uncertainty and variability of its wind and solar fleet. This webinar will provide a holistic review of ERCOT’s wind and solar power forecast management strategies including tools, procedures, and approaches that have been instituted or are in the process of being implemented within the next 12-18 months.

Featured Speaker:

Nitika Mago, Manager, Electric Grid Operations, ERCOT

Watch the Recording

1609, 2022

G-PST/ESIG Webinar Series: Impedance Scan Tools for Stability Analysis of IBR Grids

30 June 2022

Dynamic stability is a major concern in operating power systems with high levels of inverter-based resources (IBRs). Dynamic stability problems in IBR grids manifest as oscillations or control interactions that are observed either locally between a few IBRs or span a wider network involving tens to hundreds of IBRs. It is quite challenging to evaluate the stability of IBR grids because of fast, complex, and non-standardized controls of IBRs as well as unavailability of their open-box models from vendors. This webinar will review impedance-based methods for stability analysis of IBR grids. It will also present a PSCAD-based impedance scan software tool and an impedance measurement system developed at NREL for analyzing the stability of IBR grids. Case studies to demonstrate the capabilities of these tools to answer questions such as “which IBRs are causing oscillations?” or “how much grid-forming capacity is needed in a system?” will be presented.

Speakers:

Shahil Shah, Senior Engineer, NREL

Watch the Recording

1609, 2022

G-PST/ESIG Webinar Series: Fostering the Use of AI for Power System Transformation

21 June 2022

What is the current state of AI, and how can it be employed for power system transformation? In this panel discussion, researchers in AI and power systems will reflect on the readiness of AI to contribute to the areas of innovation identified in the inaugural G-PST research agenda. They will then identify opportunities for ongoing research and deployment within both the AI and power systems communities. This session will build on the discussion from our March webinar entitled “Open Discussion with Global Power System Operators: The AI Opportunity,” in which global power system operators shared the opportunities and challenges they are facing in decarbonizing electric grids, as well as their initial perspectives on how AI could help. (Participation in the prior webinar is not required to attend this session.) This event is organized in collaboration between G-PST, ESIG, Climate Change AI (CCAI), and the Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI) as part of EPRI’s Artificial Intelligence Grand Challenges initiative.

Speakers:

Baosen Zhang, Associate Professor, University of Washington
Ferdinando Fioretto, Assistant Professor, Syracuse University

Watch the Recording

1808, 2022

Pillar 1 Welcomes Contributions to Newly Released Research Repository

Pillar 1 has developed an extensive Research Repository, which details current and recent research projects from around the world that are well-aligned with the Inaugural Research Agenda. The Repository is a working document, and more contributions are welcomed.