PVSystemModelsForSystem

PlanningandInterconnectionStudies
AbrahamEllis
SandiaNationalLaboratories
aellis@sandia.gov

Cedar Rapids, IA October 2009

GrowthinGridTiedPVSystems
GridtiedPVasofasof2008
791MWtotal(mostinCA)
~1,500MWunderdevelopment
Tendencytowardlargersystems

UtilityIndustryModelingNeeds
Thenotsodistantfuture
ProposedPVCapacity(MW)BasedonLGIPQueue
Utility

2010

2011

2012

2013

SCE

1350

2822

1540

2180

NVEnergySouth

469

776

484

980

Reasonableconcernsemerging
Withinafewyears,inverterbasedPVgenerationwill
displaceanontrivialamountofconventionalgeneration
Someareaslikelytoseehigherpenetration,largerprojects
NERCreliabilitycriteriaarenotlikelytoease
Howdoweplanforit?

UtilityIndustryModelingNeeds
Utilityplannersneedmodelsofthesefacilitiesto
assessplanningandoperatingimpacts
Steadystatepowerflow(thermal,voltage)
Dynamic(transientstability)
Shortcircuit(interruptingcapacity,systemprotection)

Withveryfewexceptions,utilitysimulationtoolsdont
havestandardlibrarymodelsforPVsystems
Atbest,projectdevelopersprovideinsufficientlyvalidated,
manufacturerspecific,proprietary,usercreatedmodels
Worseyet,modelingshortcuts(e.g.,loadnetting)areused
withoutadequatetechnicalbasis

UtilityIndustryModelingNeeds
NERCIntermittentandVariableGenerationTaskForcehas
identifiedthelackofindustrystandardvalidatedmodels
asmajorbarriertorenewableenergydevelopment
Validated,generic,nonconfidential,andpublicstandardpowerflowand
stability(positivesequence)modelsforvariablegenerationtechnologiesare
needed.Suchmodelsshouldbereadilyvalidatedandpubliclyavailableto
powerutilitiesandallotherindustrystakeholders.Modelparametersshould
beprovidedbyvariablegenerationmanufacturersandacommonmodel
validationstandardacrossalltechnologiesshouldbeadopted.TheNERC
PlanningCommitteeshouldundertakeareviewoftheappropriateModeling,
DataandAnalysis(MOD)Standardstoensurehighlevelsofvariable
generationcanbesimulated.
Source:NERCSpecialReport,AccommodatingHighLevelsofVariableGeneration,
http://www.nerc.com/files/IVGTF_Report_041609.pdf

TypeofPlanningModels
Type

MainApplication

Exampleof
Commercial
Platforms

Powerflow,
unbalanced

Powerflow(static)simulationof
distributionnetworks.Softwarealsodoes
motorstart,protectioncoord.,etc.

FeederALL,
SynerGEE,
EasyPower

Powerflow,
positivesequence

Largescalepowerflowsimulationsofbulk PSS/E,PSLF,ETAP,
transmissionsystems
PowerWorld

Dynamic,positive
sequence

Largescaledynamicsimulationsofbulk
transmissionsystems

PSS/E,PSLF,ETAP

Transient,three
phase

Detailedanalysisofpowersystem
electromagnetic/mechanicalandcontrol
interactionandperformance

PSCAD,Matlab,
EMTPRV

ShortCircuit

Faultanalysisprotectioncoordination

Aspen,SynerGEE,

PVSystemPowerFlowModels
PVinvertersmaybemodeledasconventionalgeneratorsin
thesteadystate
Overandunderexcitationlimitsmustbesetwithcognizance
ofinverterreactivecapabilitiesandmodes:
Constantpowerfactor
Constantreactivepower
Voltageregulation

Forlargescalesimulations,powerflowmodelingdata
requirementsmustbereducedthroughequivalencing,
similartowindplants
RefertoexistingWECCWindPowerPlantPowerFlowModeling
Guide(www.wecc.biz)

PVSystemPowerFlowModels
ForutilityscalePV
PVArray
Inverter

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Equivalencing

Transmission
system

Station
transformer

OtherPVplant
Feeders

MediumVoltage
PVFeeder

PVInverter
Transformer

Transmission
system

EquivalentPV
Inverter
Transformer

Equivalent
PVFeeder

Station
transformer

Equivalent
generator

PVSystemPowerFlowModels
FordistributedPV
Transmission
system
UnitStation
Transformer

Transmission
system

Distribution
system

UnitStation
Transformer(LTC)
UtilityscalePV

~
DG
Residential

Load

Pad/Pole
Transformer
Modelfeederimpedancefordynamics
(e.g.,WECCCompositeLoadModel)
Commercial

PVSystemDynamicModels
Vendorspecific,userwrittenmodelshavearole,but
dontmeetcriticalneeds
Genericmodelshavemultipleadvantages
Provideviablealternativetomeetutilityrequirements
Allowinterconnectionstudiestoproceedbeforeinverter
andPVmodulemanufacturersareselected
Reducemanufacturerconfidentialityconcernswithrespect
toproprietaryaspectsofusercreatedmodels
Provideimprovementsin:
Quality(thoroughlytestedforcompatibilitywithcoresoftware)
Portability(acrossdifferentsimulationplatforms)
Usability(similartofamiliarlookandfeelofconventional
generator/turbine/exciterstandardlibrarymodels)

PVSystemDynamicModels
AuserfriendlygenericPVsystemdynamicmodelwould:
Approximatetheaggregatedynamicresponseofalargenumberof
invertersatacommonpointofinterconnection
Besuitableforsimulatingplantresponseoftheplanttogrid
disturbances,typically3phasefaultsupto200msindurationand
groundfaultsuptoonesecondinduration
Allowforsimulationoftheposttransientresponseoftheplant for
periodsof20to30seconds
Allowforsimulationoftheresponseoftheplanttocloudinduced
irradiancetransients
Allowforsimulationtimestepsashighas cycle(8.3ms)
Provideforusersettablegains,timeconstants,andfeatureon/off
switches(e.g.,forvoltagecontrol,droopresponse,etc.)thatwouldbe
specifiedbythemanufacturersfortheirspecifichardware
Validatedagainstfielddata,higherorder(EMTPtype)models,orboth

PVSystemDynamicModels
Genericmodelsposechallengesthatcanbeovercome
Evolvingtechnologyandperformancestandards
Modelsneedtoincludeexistingaswellasfuturecapabilities
Gridcodesactivitiescanguidemodeldevelopment

Accesstodetailedtechnicalinformationfrommanufacturers
formodeldevelopmentandvalidation

Timingisright
Numeroususerwrittenmodelshavebeendeveloped
Industryinterestisveryhigh
Haveopportunitytobuildontechnicalworkandindustry
connectionslaidoutbyWECC/IEEEgenericwindgenerator
modelingeffort

APotentialImplementation
Modelconnectivity
DC
Voltage
Solar
Irradiance

PVArray
Model

DC
Current

ReactivePoweror
VoltageRegulator
Model

D- and Q-Axis
Voltage

Inverter
Model

Desired
Q-Axis
Current

D- and Q-Axis
Current

Network
Model
(implemented
inPSS/Eor
PSLF)

APotentialImplementation
Invertermodel

APotentialImplementation

Array Current (pu)

Array Power (pu)

PVarraymodel

Increasing
Irradiance
Increasing
Irradiance
Increasing
Irradiance

Array Voltage (pu)

APotentialImplementation
BasicAssumptions
PVarrayisvoltage andirradiancedependentcurrent
source
Temperatureimpactscanbeneglectedinsimulationframesof
interestfortransientstability
Currentresponsetovoltageorirradiancetransientisinstantaneous
(algebraic)

Invertersarehighfrequency,pulsewidthmodulated,ac
currentregulated,voltagesourcetype
With cycletimestep,currentregulatorandmodulatordynamics
maybeneglected perhaps
Primarydynamicsareduetoinverterdccapacitorbank,dcvoltage
regulatorandacphaselockalgorithms
Additionaldynamicsmaybeintroducedtoinfluencerealand
reactivepowerramprates

ActivitiesAlreadyUnderway

PVmodelinginitiativealreadystartedundertheauspicesofthe WECC
ModelingandValidationWorkGroup(MVWG)
Development,implementation&disseminationtobeconductedopenly
Similarincharactertothegenericwindmodeling,alsochampionedbyWECC

WECCgrouphasbroadindustryrepresentation

NationalLaboratories(Sandiacoordinatingeffort)
Utilities
Equipmentmanufacturers
Projectdevelopersandsystemsintegrators
Softwaredevelopers
Consultants

Initialfocusisonpositivesequencepowerflowanddynamicmodels
Modelstobeintroducedtobroaderaudienceviatechnicalcoordinationand
outreach(WECC,NERC,IEEE)

Conclusions
PVgenerationproposedandunderdevelopmentisbecoming
toolargetoignoreintheplanningprocess
Thelackofaccesstouserfriendly,validatedmodelsisa
barriertorapiddeploymentofPV
Userwrittenmodelshavearole,butdontmeetcriticalutility
requirements
Needtomakeprogressonstandardized,validatedPVsystemmodels
foruseintraditionaltransmissionplanning

Genericmodelsposetechnicalandinstitutionalchallenges
thatcanbeovercome
Industryeffortsalreadyunderway StayTuned!

QuestionsandDiscussion