Impact of Battery Energy Storage System on Dynamic

Properties of Isolated Power Systems

Hao Guo, Peter Crossley, Member, IEEE and Vladimir Terzija, Member, IEEE
School of Electrical and Electronic Engineering
The University of Manchester, UK
Abstract The impact of a Battery Energy Storage System
(BESS) on the dynamic properties of an isolated power system
will be analyzed in this paper. An isolated power system
involving a BESS is modelled using the MATLAB/Simulink
package, which includes the essential controls for the generators
and the BESS. Various types of dynamic disturbances are
applied to the system, with and without the presence of BESS.
By comparing the system responses, the influence of the BESS
during the dynamic disturbances is discovered. The simulation
results indicate that the BESS is able to mitigate the negative
effects of dynamic disturbances so that the stability of the power
system is enhanced. However, it is also observed that the BESS
might introduce an unexpected temporary degradation in the
power quality. Therefore, to ensure the advantages of a BESS
outweigh the disadvantages, critical assessments are necessary
before a BESS can be employed on an isolated power system.
Index Terms Batteries, Energy Storage, MATLAB, Power
System Modelling, Power System Simulation

I. INTRODUCTION
It is estimated that conventional reserves of fossil fuels will
be significantly depleted in the next few decades [1], and to
satisfy carbon reduction targets [2] a considerable quantity of
renewable energy (e.g. wind, solar radiation, tidal and wave
energy) will have to be integrated into our existing power
systems. Unlike a traditional and centralized system whose
generation profile is roughly predictable and known in

advance, renewable generation is less dispatchable and in

particular it will not be load following due to the
uncertainty and intermittency of the renewable resources.
Energy Storage Systems (ESSs) can be used to tackle the
problem of how to operate a power system with significant
intermittent renewable energy resources. The ESSs can
absorb excess energy when the supply is greater than the
demand and conversely deliver energy to support the power
system when the supply is less than the demand, which
guarantees the dynamic equilibrium of the power system. An
adequate number of ESSs of the appropriate kWh/MWh
capability can provide balancing services between generation
and load, thereby resolving the inherent intermittency
problems associated with many renewable. At present, ESS
modelling tends to focus on Power Electronics (PE) devices
such as DC/DC converters and DC/AC inverters [3] and there
are no standard tools/models designed to study the impacts of
ESSs on the dynamic properties of a power system. These
tools/models are critical in the planning, the design and the
operation of a power system. Furthermore, an isolated power
system is more vulnerable to disturbances than a bulk power
system. Consequently, it is important to investigate how an
ESS could dynamically affect an isolated power system.

II. ISOLATED POWER SYSTEM MODEL

The single line diagram of the simulated power system is
illustrated in Figure 1. In this power system, two 10.5 kV

Figure 1. Single Line Diagram of the Isolated Power System Model

generators (one with capacity of 25 MVA and the other with

capacity of 15 MVA) are located far away from the load
centre. Thus, the output voltages of the generators are stepped
up to the transmission voltage of 132 kV and then stepped
down to 11 kV in a distribution substation near the load
centre. Finally, the 11 kV supply is stepped down to 415 V
for connection to the consumers. To prevent the power
quality problems caused by a disturbance on the network (e.g.
generator loss), the BESS is placed near the load centre and
continually maintain the power quality at an appropriate level.
The BESS is modelled as a 15 MVA battery with an
associated DC-to-AC converter. After DC/AC conversion,
the voltage is stepped up from 5 kV to 11 kV and used to
support the 11kV busbar voltage and consequently the 415V
customer supply. Note: - the winding connections for all the
transformers are based on [4] and two 1 MW industrial loads
are connected near the generators.

III. GENERATOR MODEL AND CONTROL

In this simulation study, the generators are modelled as
synchronous machines, in which the mechanical power input
(Pm) and nominal voltage input (E) is used to control the
output active power and the voltage.

(2)

is the synchronizing torque and

is
where:
the damping torque. In the former,
is the synchronizing
torque coefficient whilst
is the change in rotor angle
and
=
. In the latter,
is the damping torque
is the deviation from the nominal rotor
coefficient while
.
angular speed
have to be positive
Kundur [6] suggested that both and
to maintain the stability of the generator, otherwise aperiodic
rotor angle drift (lack of synchronizing torque) or oscillatory
instability (lack of damping torque) may occur. The overview
of the generator model and its associated control based on
equation (1) and (2) is given in Figure 2. The process of this
control scheme can be described as following:
x Measure the rotor angular speed
and calculate the
speed deviation
from the nominal value
.
x Determine the desired value for the change in mechanical
( ) and evaluate the mechanical torque .
torque
x Derive the mechanical power
by multiplying the
with the rotor angular speed
.
mechanical torque
x Feed
output.

to the generator to regulate the active power

In such manner, the mechanical power

would track the
electrical power , ensuring the rotor of the generator is
. This in turn
revolving at the nominal rotor angular speed
keeps the system frequency around the nominal value 50 Hz.

IV. BATTERY ENERGY STORAGE SYSTEM MODEL & CONTROL

Figure 2. Generator Model with Associated Control

With respect to real power systems, there are numerous

control schemes regulating the output voltage and the power
of a generator. To better explore the effect of BESS, the
output voltages of both generators are held constant at 10.5
kV. Therefore, the control scheme only regulates the output
active power of generators in accordance with the
instantaneous operating status of the generator. More
specifically, in an equilibrium state, the input mechanical
torque
and the output electrical torque
are equal. If
there is a change in the electrical torque that disturbs the
balance state, the generator rotor speed
will be
accelerated or decelerated. Hence, to maintain the rotor
angular speed
at its nominal value
, the change in
mechanical torque
should satisfy:

(1)

H. Chen and H. Bai in [5] stated that the change in electrical

torque can be decomposed into two parts:

Due to low inertia, a disturbance can have greater impact on

an isolated power system than on a bulk interconnected
power system. As a result, more dramatic variations in system
frequency and voltage may occur. Whilst the primary
function of generator control is to stabilize the system
frequency by adjusting the active power output, the control
scheme for the BESS uses active and reactive power output to
regulate system frequency and voltage.
The proposed scheme is based on the transformation [7]
and the
transformation [8]. According to [7], three
phase voltages (
,
,
) and three phase currents ( ,
, ) can be expressed by instantaneous space vectors ( ,
, , ) and the transformation is:
=

(3)

(4)

Then, the instantaneous space vectors could be transferred to

their counterparts in the frame by: [8]
=
=

The active power P and reactive power Q are given as:

Consequently, a close-loop d-q control scheme for the BESS

is set up and this control scheme can help the power system
stabilize the frequency and voltage during a disturbance.
V. DYNAMIC DISTURBANCES AND SYSTEM VARIABLES

The dynamic disturbances applied to the isolated system and

(5) the monitored system variables are listed in Table 1 and
Table 2. Figure 4 shows the planned disturbances and defines
when they occur. The simulation time is 2.3s and certain time
(6) intervals are required after system initialization and BESS
integration, because the control schemes need time to drive
the whole system to the steady state.
Table 1. Dynamic Disturbances Applied to Simulated System

(7)

is always zero, hence:

For a balanced power system,

=

(8)

(9)

Figure 3 shows the control scheme for regulating the output

power of the BESS and the working principle is as follows:
x Two measurement blocks measure the 3-phase voltages
and currents in per unit.
x Measured values are fed to the abc_to_dq0 transformation
blocks and meanwhile signals
and
associated with the 50 Hz power system are connected to
the transformation blocks as well.
x Two selector blocks select the signal , , , and the
actual active power and reactive power are calculated.

Load
Disturbances

Sudden connection of a large load (18 MW),

total load after disturbance = 130% total
generation

Generation
Disturbances

Sudden disconnection of a generator whose

capacity is 15 MW

Fault
Disturbances

Single phase-to-ground
transmission line

fault

the

Table 2. System Variables Being Monitored

3 phase-to-ground voltages (

3-phase line currents ( ,

System Frequency (f)

Rotor Angle of Generator 1 and Generator 2 (

System Active Power and Reactive Power (P, Q)

x Actual active power and reactive power are compared

with reference values which are related to the nominal
frequency and nominal voltage.
x A PI controller block presents to reduce the steady state
error. In other words, the output active and reactive power
of the BESS will always track the references.
x PWM generator receives the control signal from the PI
controller and generates PWM signal for the IGBT
Inverter.

Figure 3. BESS Model with Associated Control

on

Figure 4. Simulation Plan

VI. SIMULATION RESULTS AND ANALYSES

A. Sudden Connection of a Large Load (Figure 5 Figure 10 )
x Voltage: Figure 5 shows that when a heavy load (18 MW)
is connected to the system without BESS, the voltage sag
is significant. Whilst in the system with BESS, the voltage
sag during the transition state is smaller. Moreover, during
the steady state after the load connection, the BESS
provides increased voltage compensation and keeps the
voltage at rated value.
x Current: Figure 6 states a power system with BESS can
support an extra 18 MW load, because the BESS is able to
provide the necessary current compensation.

Figure 7. Frequency when 18 MW load is Connected

x Frequency: Figure 7 demonstrates that when an 18 MW

load is connected; BESS helps the system frequency
recover to the nominal value in a shorter term and reduces
the frequency drop.
x Rotor Angle: Figure 8 and Figure 9 illustrate that BESS
reduces the fluctuations in the rotor angles and help to
quickly stabilize the angles.
x Power: Figure 10 indicates BESS has a significant impact
on active and reactive power. More specifically, the
system will not be able to support significant extra load
and unacceptable oscillations may occur in active and
reactive power. Conversely, BESS can maintain the
power at the load, which guarantees the quality of supply.

Figure 5. Voltage at Load Side when 18 MW load is Connected

Figure 6. Current at Load Side when 18 MW load is Connected

Figure 8. Rotor Angle of Generator 1 when 18 MW load is Connected

Figure 9. Rotor Angle of Generator 2 when 18 MW load is Connected

Figure 10. Power at Load Side when 18 MW load is Connected

B. Sudden Disconnection of a generator (Figure 11 Figure 14 )

x Voltage: Figure 11 shows that when the 15 MW generator
is disconnected from the system without the BESS, a
significant voltage drop occurs. Whilst with the BESS, the
transient voltage drop is smaller and the BESS mitigates
this voltage drop within a few periods.
x Current: Figure 12 indicates that in the system without
BESS a dramatic decrease in current occurs when the
15MW generator is tripped. On the contrary, with BESS,
the transient fall in current is curbed and compensated.
x Frequency: Figure 13 suggests the frequency drop caused
by the tripping of a generator can be limited by the BESS.
However, significant frequency oscillations are introduced.

Figure 13. Frequency when 15 MW Generator is Disconnected

x Power: According to Figure 14, after the tripping of the

generator, power at the load side benefits from the BESS
since it supplies considerable power to support the power
system. In addition, the transient power drop is also
suppressed by the BESS.

Figure 14. Power at Load Side when 15 MW Generator is Disconnected

C. Single Phase-to-Ground Transmission Line Fault (Figure

15 Figure 18)
Figure 11. Voltage at Load Side when 15 MW Generator is Disconnected

x Voltage: It can be observed in Figure 15 that the BESS is

able to limit the voltage drop during a single phase fault
and this BESS also compensates the voltage sag. However,
when the fault is cleared, a large voltage overshoot occurs
in the system with the BESS.
x Current: Figure 16 shows that the dynamics in the
current are similar to those in the voltage: the current drop
is reduced by the BESS when the fault occurs and during
steady state, the current decrease is compensated by the
BESS. However, a bigger current overshoot also occurs
when the fault is cleared.

x Rotor Angle: Based on Figure 17 and Figure 18, the rotor

angles in the system with the BESS have smaller
magnitudes during the fault. The use of the BESS has
Figure 12. Current at Load Side when 15 MW Generator is Disconnected
lowered the magnitudes of the rotor angles before the
fault, which allows larger overshoot in rotor angles.
However when the fault is cleared, the BESS will drive
the rotor angles to less than 0o.

VII. CONCLUSION
The utilization of a BESS in an isolated power system would
create benefits and drawbacks as summarized in Table 3.
Table 3. Impact of BESS for Each Type of Disturbance
Disturbance
Type

Load
Increase

9
9
x
9

Reduces transient drop in 3-phase voltages and currents

Mitigates transient drop in frequency
Introduces more frequency oscillations
Supports load increase

Generation
loss

9
9
x
9

Reduces transient drop in 3-phase voltages and currents

Mitigates transient drop in frequency
Introduces more frequency oscillations
Relieves shortage of power generation

Figure 15. Voltage at Load Side when Single Phase Fault Occurs

Fault
Occurrence

Figure 16. Current at Load Side when Single Phase Fault Occurs

Impact of BESS

9
9
x
x

Reduces transient drop in 3-phase voltages and currents

Restrains transient increase in frequency
Introduces more frequency oscillations
Causes larger transient overshoot in voltages and
currents when fault is cleared
x Generates spikes in active power when fault is cleared

A BESS in an isolated power system can bring benefits such

as frequency maintenance and energy support in response to
dynamic disturbances. Yet the BESS may also cause
problems such as increased frequency fluctuation and large
spikes in the active power. Hence, a BESSs performance
should be fully assessed before it is employed.
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Figure 17. Rotor Angle of Generator 1 when Single Phase Fault Occurs

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Figure 18. Rotor Angle of Generator 2 when Single Phase Fault Occurs

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