In the following, we proudly present you the 4^th EASY-RES Progress Report in detail. Here, each of the eight work packages (WPs) highlights the advancements during the last six months and showcases its achievements.

WP1 – Quasi Steady-State Operation

WP1 has developed a new innovative distributed control methodology for the voltage regulation in Low-Voltage (LV) distribution grids with very low computational burden and limited use of ICT infrastructure. We achieved this regulation by exploiting only the reactive power capability of the distributed renewable energy sources (DRES) avoiding thus any active power curtailment. At the same time, the losses on the feeders are kept to a minimum. Highly innovative is that, in almost real time, the DRES which will have the largest impact on the voltage regulation are chosen to exchange reactive power. In this context, a new load-flow algorithm for unbalanced LV grids has been developed to be used in the LV voltage regulation process (respective publication).

We keep on working also on the development of methodologies and analytical evaluation – in parametric form – of the required storage systems (either ultracapacitors or batteries) for the limitation of active power ramp-rates at DRES and distribution grid levels respectively.

WP1 Leader: Aristotle University of Thessaloniki
WP1 Contact: Charis Demoulias (chdimoul@auth.gr)

WP2 – Development of DRES/BESS Converter Functionalities for Dynamic and Transient Response

With respect to the harmonic mitigation, an algorithm has been developed so that the DRES converter operates as an active filter based on the virtual conductance approach. This control ensures that the harmonic filtering will be performed only when the DRES converter has available capacity. The performance of the control has been evaluated at distribution system level in the LV grid of CIGRE. A relevant paper has been written named “Evaluation of Decentralized Voltage Harmonic Mitigation through DRES converter active filtering capability” by Kyriaki-Nefeli D. Malamaki, Christos Tzouvaras, Manuel Barragán-Villarejo, Georgios C. Kryonidis, and Charis S. Demoulias. The paper will be presented at the virtual RPG Dublin on 1-2 March 2021. 

Innovative methods have been developed to facilitate the provision of inertial and primary frequency response as ancillary services from active distribution networks to the transmission system. In this context, a framework has been developed to estimate the maximum and minimum inertial and primary frequency response that can be offered from the distribution to the transmission system. A second framework has been proposed to optimally dispatch distributed renewable energy sources in order to provide specific inertial and primary frequency response at the transmission system. Both frameworks take into account operational and technical limitations of distribution systems, thus fully exploiting their capabilities. (Open-access paper)  

WP2 Leader: Universidad de Sevilla
WP2 Contact: Juan Mauricio (jmmauricio@us.es)

WP3 – Protection Coordination

WP3 finalized a method that provides a solution to the problems caused to the fault-protection systems in distribution grids when the DRES penetration increases. Now the DRES can participate actively in the fault-clearing process with the legacy protection systems, i.e. investments for their upgrade are not needed.

Our methodology enables each DRES to detect the location of fault and according to this information it reacts in a smart way to assist in the fault clearing. The developed methodology works equally well when the upstream grid is either stiff or weak. In the former case most of the DRES simply ride-through the fault by injecting zero current while in the latter case some of the DRES assist in the fault-clearing process by injecting controllable currents. The threshold that distinguishes a stiff grid from a weak grid has also been evaluated in the proposed methodology. 

Details on the scientific approach of the developed methodology can be found in our open-access publication.

WP3 Leader: Aristotle University of Thessaloniki
WP3 Contact: Charis Demoulias (chdimoul@auth.gr)

WP4 – ICT infrastructure for ICAs & µGs

The ICT architecture developed in the beginning of the project was further refined. It is planned that this architecture connects the smart converter, which is attached to the renewable energy sources, with the DSO and TSO via an interface in the developed dashboard. For this, a testbed was set up with microcomputers which communicate with the converters and the ICT. A focus lies in the development of a secure communication channel.

Furthermore, the work on Deliverable D4.4 led by FENECON has started. This deliverable deals with the role of batteries in the EASY-RES environment and presents the implementation of a battery management system. This is necessary to make the battery “smart” in such a way that it can contribute to the provision of Ancillary Services and ensures the stability of the grid. Couple of Controllers have already been added to the existing OpenEMS system from the EASY-RES requirements. The controllers are namely, Low Frequency Power smoothing controller and Reactive Power Voltage characteristics controller whose results are analyzed in detail in WP6.

Open-access publication on a flexible ICT infrastructure.

WP4 Leader: Universität Passau
WP4 Contact: Hermann de Meer (hermann.deMeer@uni-passau.de)

WP5 – Cost analysis, new market opportunities & development of AS-based business models

Deliverable D5.4 was finished in July. The aim of D5.4 was to provide an identification of the potential stakeholders in the AS market, and to identify the current and potential revenues associated with the provision of such services. The views of several European participants were also included.

In order to characterize the AS market, the network operators (TSOs and DSOs) on the demand side have been analyzed, which may be coordinated by an Independent System Operator (ISO). Both network operators are responsible for maintaining the quality and security of the system under all circumstances, which they can achieve by means of traditional procedures or, as proposed in EASY-RES, by incorporating the AS of third parties on demand, in exchange for compensation.

On the supply side of AS, a new scheme is proposed considering that the networks can be subdivided into Individual Control Areas (ICA) that may include microgrids, consumers, prosumers, Distributed Renewable Energy Sources (DRES), and battery storage systems (BESS). Several AS could be provided from each ICA to be exploited by grid operators that consider DRES and BESS to accelerate renewable energies integration. Also on the supply side, this review includes the operation of DRES, BESS (companies or EV owners), users, microgrid operators, and aggregators, who should be enhanced in managing the electricity system, as foreseen in the Directive 944/2019 and EU regulation 943/2019 which underline ‘The citizen is king’.

In this scenario, policymakers, regulatory authorities, and standardization bodies play a determinant role, since, at present, there are important discrepancies between the application of the rules, remuneration and roles of each of the agents mentioned above. The real system optimization will go through a deep amendment of the regulation of the industry having to rethink much of the foundations that apply today.

WP5 Leader: Universidad de Sevilla
WP5 Contact: Jose Luis Martinez Ramos (jl.martinez.ramos@gmail.com)

WP6 – Validation & Evaluation

In the past several months, we continued with the development of the EASY-RES controller focusing on its validation. We are now developing and validating higher control levels, CTRL3 and CTRL4, which will ultimately be offered as services, like virtual inertia and primary frequency response. The testing is going as planned and our controller shows satisfying performance. We have also started with the evaluation of project KPIs which try to assess stability and reliability of the electricity grid with the EASY-RES controller.

We attended two conferences, Power and Energy Society General Meeting 2020 and Innovative Smart Grid Technologies 2020, in which we presented papers on the adaptation of RTDS models and their use in simulation of renewable-enriched power systems.

WP6 Leader: TU Delft
WP6 Contact: Milos Cvetkovic (m.cvetkovic@tudelft.nl)

WP7 – Dissemination & Exploitation

We finally launched the EASY-RES Teaser Video which briefly but vividly introduces the project. You can watch the video here. 

On an internal note, we reedited deliverable D7.7 The Exploitation Plan to concretize the EASY-RES Key Exploitable Results and to underscore the high potential we attribute to them.

WP7 Leader: Bayern Innovativ
WP7 Contact: Andrea Deisenrieder, Maximilian Irlbeck (info@easyres-project.eu)

WP8 – Project Management & Coordination

EASY-RES was successfully reviewed by the European Commission for the second year of the project. (2nd Review Meeting)

In terms of cross-WP topics: WP 1, 2 and 3 together published a paper on the development of new quantifications methods and metrics of the EASY-RES envisioned Ancillary Services (Open-access publication).

In addition, the EASY-RES approach was presented in a special panel session at the IEEE PES Innovative Smart Grid Technologies Europe (ISGT) conference held remotely in Delft, The Netherlands on 28/10/2020. Presentations were given by Prof. Jose Maria Maza Ortega (USE), Prof. Juan Manuel Mauricio (USE), Prof. Milos Cvetkovic (TU Delft), Prof. Hermann de Meer (Uni Passau), and Dr. Kyriaki-Nefeli Malamaki (AUTH), while the Project Coordinator Prof. Charis Demoulias was the chair of this panel session.

Prof. Charis Demoulias, Dr. Angelos Marnerides, Dr. Georgios C. Kryonidis, and Dr. Kyriaki-Nefeli D. Malamaki are Guest Editors of the Special Issue of “Applied Sciences” MDPI Journal named “Advances in Ancillary Services by DRES in Distribution Grids”.

The first version of the cost functions related to all the Ancillary Services (presented in D5.3 of WP5) has been specified in a conference paper, which will be presented in the 9th International Conference on Renewable Power Generation (RPG Dublin), to be held online on 1-2 March 2021.  (Oureilidis, K. / Malamaki, K. N./ Gkavanoudis, S. / Martinez-Ramos, J. L. / Demoulias, C.  “Development of Cost-Functions for the Remuneration of New Ancillary Services in Distribution Networks’)

WP8 Leader: Aristotle University of Thessaloniki
WP8 Contact: Charis Demoulias (chdimoul@auth.gr)