EASY-RES has well advanced during the last months and has now entered the third and final project phase. While the project team will from now on enhance their efforts towards finalizing their project results, you will find the latest advances of each of the eight work packages (WPs) in our third EASY-RES Progress Report. In the following we proudly present you the report in detail.

WP1 – Quasi Steady-State Operation

In WP1 we developed the almost final methodologies and algorithms for voltage regulation within medium and low voltage distribution grids. The methodologies are based only on the reactive power capability of the Distributed Renewable Energy Sources (DRES) – which has also been defined in this WP – without requiring any additional investments such as feeder upgrades while allowing (with the current grid infrastructure) very high DRES penetration levels (up to 100% with respect to the rating of the main grid transformers). The methodologies rely on a light ICT infrastructure for optimization purposes where the optimization refers to the minimization of the grid losses. The developed methodologies and algorithms remain to be tested in the lab environment of the University of Seville where the benchmark distribution grids of CIGRE have been modelled in lab scale. We also keep on working on the development of methodologies and the 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

In WP 2 we have been advancing Task T2.4 about developing a software tool for the optimization of the Individual Control Area (ICA). In close collaboration with WP6 we have been improving the models and the controllers proposed in our earlier Tasks T2.2 and T2.3.

In February, we participated in the prestigious IEEE International Conference on Industrial Technology (ICIT2020) held in Buenos Aires/ Argentina this year. Here, we presented one of the controllers which we developed in Task T2.3 and tested in the laboratories.

Two WP2 related papers were published during the last months and two other papers are currently being reviewed.

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

WP3 – Protection Coordination

The strategy to control the DRES within a distribution grid in order to assist in the fault clearing process while preserving the legacy protection means has been developed. It is shown that the DRES should react differently, in the case of a short circuit within the distribution grid, depending on whether the upstream grid is stiff (i.e. it has sufficient short circuit capacity) or weak. The limits between stiff and weak grids have been identified and quantified in terms of the existing protection means. The developed strategy allows very high DRES penetration in distribution grids while avoiding the well documented relevant problems such as protection blinding, sympathetic tripping or exceeding the short circuit capacity of legacy protection systems. Our strategy does not require investments in sophisticated ICT systems or upgrades of the protection means with new ones that usually are costly. The only additional investment required is the online monitoring of the feeder current and voltage (via two PLLs) by each DRES at its point of interconnection with the distribution grid. So far, we focused on symmetrical faults, but from now on we will address asymmetrical ones too.

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

WP4 – ICT infrastructure for ICAs & µGs

WP4 published the Deliverable D4.3 on the specification of SDGACO scheme. SDGACO stands for Software-defined Grid Accounting and Optimization. In this deliverable, different software concepts have been elaborated that are necessary in the ICT architecture. It is crucial to define how the renewable energy sources can be monitored, how their contribution to the grid can be optimized, and how to pay the owners accordingly by protecting their personal data. With the help of those developed schemes, the ICT architecture has been refined and complemented with further components that are necessary for optimization, accounting, etc.

In addition, the Smart Grid Architecture Model (SGAM), a framework for a standardized description of architectures in smart grids, is used in EASY-RES to visualize the components of the grid and the architecture to see their interactions and to detect any missing links.

Big congrats to Dr. Anish Jindal from Lancaster University who has been conferred with
the Outstanding Young Researcher Award for the Europe, Middle East, and Africa
(EMEA) Region, 2019 by the IEEE Communication Society.

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

The main objective of WP5 is to develop business models for the various stakeholders, while suggesting modifications to current market regulations. During the last months, our work has been focused on Task T5.4 the identification of stakeholders and associated revenue streams. The respective Deliverable D5.4 is expected by June 2020.

The primary objective of Task T5.4 is to identify all possible revenue streams that emerge with the use of the technologies and control algorithms developed in EASY-RES. The coordinated operation of the DRES converters and BESS will create various new revenue streams, such as the following: a) due to the provision of AS such as inertial response, PFR and power smoothing; b) contribution to fault clearing, avoiding new investments regarding the addition/replacement of protection equipment; c)  coordinated provision of reactive power, leading to a significant increase of RES penetration with the existing infrastructure; and d) increased reserves provided by BESS to the transmission system in coordination with the medium voltage ICA and low voltage μG downstream. Another aim of this task is to identify all possible stakeholders. A list of stakeholders may include: the owners and operators of individual DRES/ BESS, BSPs, Balance Responsible Parties, the DSO, the TSO, independent electricity producers from DRES, μG operators, etc.

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 and the EASY-RES converter prototype. The lower control levels: CTRL0 for the PWM control of the IGBTs, CTRL 1 for the current control and CTRL2 for the voltage control, have all been developed and validated in our labs using Hardware-In-the-Loop methodology. These controller levels allow our prototype to operate as grid-feeder or grid-former. The converters deployed in the field today are grid-feeders and this mode of operation is suitable for lower amounts of renewables in the grid. As we move towards 100% renewable system, grid-former controller mode will have to become prevalent. We validated both operation modes for a single converter unit and they are performing as expected. We are now developing higher control levels, CTRL3 and CTRL4, which will ultimately be offered as services, like virtual inertia and primary frequency response.

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

WP7 – Dissemination & Exploitation

EASY-RES had an eventful period during the last months. We attended the European Utility Week in Paris and the Smart City Expo World Congress in Barcelona, both trade fairs took place in November 2019. In February 2020, EASY-RES exhibited at the E-world energy & water in Essen, Germany. At the events, we spread info on EASY-RES and caught up with the latest news in the energy sector.

On an internal note, we finalized Deliverable D7.8 in which we reported on our various communication and dissemination activities during the last year.

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

WP8 – Project Management & Coordination

EASY-RES – in the lead of the cluster on commonly defining, measuring, and quantifying various ancillary services (AS) in the distribution grid – participated in the second project clustering workshop organized by INEA in October 2019 in Brussels. Here, we suggested our approach for the definition and quantification of a number of AS and we are now awaiting feedback.

EASY-RES held also the second Advisory Board (AB) Meeting via telco. We welcomed Mr. Carlos Martinez de Guereñu (Zigor Corporation, Spain) as new member to the AB. Zigor is now representing the converter-manufacturing industry in our Board.

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

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