High-Renewables Systems Are Scalable, Resilient, & Secure With Communication-Less Controls
Not long ago, 100% renewable energy was a distinction reserved for remote communities avoiding costly energy imports. But now, some U.S. states are reaching very high levels of renewable energy, and the largest urban areas on the planet are targeting 100% renewable operations, basing their futures around variable power from wind and solar tied to energy storage.
On its own campus, the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) is also demonstrating 100% renewable operations, if involuntarily, and its message from the experience is that transitioning to renewables is achievable. In fact, NREL has shown that relatively simple controls can enable power grids to operate with 100% wind, solar, and storage, without the need for dedicated device-to-device communications.
“When the Flatirons Campus lost power, we didn’t have a microgrid controller capable to black start and manage all the microgrid assets, and building a controller from scratch was impractical with such short notice,” said Przemyslaw Koralewicz, an NREL researcher who helped repower the campus during an outage in 2020. “Instead, we developed a communication-less scheme that took advantage of standard frequency controls of the renewable assets and that could be programmed expediently without significant oversight or customization.”
Koralewicz and a few other researchers at the Flatirons Campus black started the site initially with a battery and solar array, and soon after connected wind for a total generation capacity of around 2 MW. Their control approach was unique for its simplicity and scalability: Rather than have a central controller issuing commands to the solar and wind assets, each device was programmed independently to produce a sort of self-organizing stability. Real results are shown in the graphic below.
By allowing the frequency to drift between 59.5 and 60.5 Hz rather than trying to achieve a fixed 60 Hz as in typical grids, and by adjusting the devices’ generic controls to enable changes in active power based on grid frequency (known as droop control), the NREL team configured the microgrid to be autonomously responsive to any changes, such as a large variation in wind or solar production during turbulent weather conditions, or a new asset like a diesel generator added to the system.
“There are plenty of advantages to running a communication-less system like this,” Koralewicz explained. “For one, the cybersecurity threats directed at distributed resources become effectively zero, because data exchange between devices isn’t necessary. Additionally, the approach is plug and play for devices, such that renewable assets can be added or removed more-or-less seamlessly.”
Once the fun was over and the Flatirons Campus power system had been repaired, the same NREL team pressed ahead with their newfound solution. They asked whether the method could truly work on a larger energy system, with multiple battery storage systems and generation resources, at or near 100% renewable operation. The team demonstrated on a simulated system that their approach remains functional and maintains stability throughout a variety of operational scenarios ranging from 20% to 300% renewable levels and with varying battery capacities and sizes.
Top: A centrally controlled power system with fixed frequency. Bottom: A decentralized communication-less power system like the one demonstrated by NREL researchers. A floating frequency that is less rigidly tied to 60 Hz was used to manage a renewable microgrid at the Flatirons Campus. Illustration by Anthony Castellano, NREL
In a sense, this method unleashes the flexibility of frequency in electrical systems. Although conventional generation locks in the frequency to a very tight window around 60 Hz, upcoming proposals for the power grid suggest using a slightly wider range of frequency, afforded by the capabilities of modern inverter-based resources. The DOE has launched a consortium named Universal Interoperability for Grid-Forming Inverters (UNIFI) to advance such strategies and develop data and standards to support high-renewable systems.
Apart from the success of the control approach, NREL has shown that even a simple improvised method can serve reliable, renewable power during a resilience event. This is a good indication for communities working toward record levels of renewables, suggesting that some aspects of the transition do not have to be too complicated. NREL has the capabilities to help partners prove solutions for tomorrow’s energy systems.
Learn more about NREL’s energy systems research at scale.
Article courtesy of National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL).
Appreciate CleanTechnica’s originality? Consider becoming a CleanTechnica Member, Supporter, Technician, or Ambassador — or a patron on Patreon.
The UAW union’s Stellantis Council met yesterday to discuss the beleaguered carmaker’s “ongoing failure” to honor the agreement that ended the 2023 labor strike, and their latest union memo doesn’t pull many punches.
It’s not a great time to be Stellantis. Its dealers are suing leadership and threatening to oust the company’s controversial CEO, Carlos Tavares, as sales continue to crater in North America, it can’t move its new, high-profile electric Fiat, and it’s first luxury electric Jeep isn’t ready. And now, things are about to get bad.
In an email sent out by the UAW earlier today (received at 4:55PM CST), UAW President Shawn Fain wrote, “For years, the company picked us off plant-by-plant and we lacked the will and the means to fight back. Today is different. Because we stood together and demanded the right to strike over job security—product commitment—we have the tools to fight back and win … We unanimously recommend to the membership that every UAW worker at Stellantis prepare for a fight, and we all get ready to vote YES to authorize a strike at Stellantis.”
The dispute seems to stem from Stellantis’ inability to commit to new product (and continued employment) at its UAW-run plants and other failings to meet its strike-ending obligations. This, despite a €3 billion stock buyback executed in late 2023.
I’ve included the memo, in its entirety, below. Take a look for yourself, and let us know what you think of the UAW’s call for action in the comments.
UAW memo
SOURCE: UAW, via email.
FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More.
![Kia EV9 GT caught with an active spoiler for the first time [Video]](https://i0.wp.com/electrek.co/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2024/09/Kia-EV9-GT-active-spoiler.jpeg?resize=1200,628&quality=82&strip=all&ssl=1)
Kia promises the new EV9 GT will have “enormous power,” but that’s not all. For the first time, the Kia EV9 GT was caught with an active spoiler, giving us a sneak peek at potential new upgrades.
The brand’s first three-row electric SUV is already making its presence known in the US, helping push Kia to back-to-back record sales months. Meanwhile, a more powerful, sporty variant is on the way.
Kia confirmed the EV9 GT will top off the electric SUV’s lineup in April. Packing “enormous power,” the high-performance GT model can accelerate from 0 to 62 mph (0 to 100 km/h) in 4 secs.
With a “high-output” dual-motor (AWD) system, the EV9 GT can quickly pick up speed despite weighing over 5,000 lbs.
Kia also equipped it with other high-performance features, such as a reinforced suspension and electronic braking system, for better control and stability.
We’ve already caught a glimpse of the performance electric SUV out testing, revealing aggressive new bumpers and wheels. Now, a new design feature has been spotted.
Kia EV9 GT could come with an active rear spoiler
The latest video from HealerTV shows the EV9 GT with what appears to be an active spoiler. As the reporter noted, it could be similar to the one spotted on the Genesis GV70 Magma.
Tesla’s Model X also used to come with an active spoiler until it was dropped a few years back. Although the GT model was spotted with one, Kia could just be testing new features, so don’t get too excited yet.
Earlier this week, a video from HealerTV showed the front row of the EV9 GT, comparing it to the current GT-Line model.
Several differences can be immediately noticed, including a more aggressive, all-black design with a yellow stripe down the center of the seat.
Kia is set to launch the EV9 GT in early 2025. It will rival other performance SUVs like the Tesla Model X Plaid.
Although prices have yet to be confirmed, the GT model is expected to sit above the current GT-Line at $73,900. In comparison, Tesla’s Model X Plaid starts at $94,990 and can sprint from 0 to 60 mph in 2.5 secs.
FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More.
Consumer Reports and EV charging app Chargeway are working together to give drivers a better way to rate public chargers, report uptime, and address maintenance issues.
The Chargeway app is best known for its use of numbers and colors to simplify the complexity of multiple charge ports and different charging speeds for new EV drivers. The app also enables Chargeway users to rate and review the public charging stations they visit – and now, those ratings can show up on Consumer Reports.
The technical collaboration with Chargeway is part of a larger effort called the EV Charging Community, which engages with a number of different EV advocacy groups including Plug In America, GreenLatinos, and Generation 180, and leverages the mobile app to rate public EV charging experiences based on various factors, with the findings reported back to industry stakeholders like EVSE manufacturers, CPOs, and utilities.
Be heard
“We are very excited to be partnering with Consumer Reports,” says Chargeway founder, Matt Teske. “From day one, Chargeway has focused on a driver first app design to provide easier EV charging experiences as well as transparency for what drivers can anticipate at (the) station they choose … we share Consumer Reports’ goal to give drivers a voice in the public EV charging reliability conversation. Now, instead of posting complaints on social media and feeling ignored, EV drivers can use the Chargeway mobile app to provide their feedback to the leading consumer advocacy organization.”
Consumer Reports says it’s already seen nearly a third of its 1,600 enrolled community members experience a problem with public charging, so it’s a real problem. “Charging stations are critical services, but when they’re out of order or barely functional, it wastes consumers’ valuable time,” explains Drew Toher, Consumer Reports’ sustainability campaign manager.
Consumer Reports points out that EV drivers who don’t use Chargeway can also enroll to be part of the community at this link.
Electrek’s Take
Chargeway founder Matt Teske is an old friend. He’s a good friend, too, so it’s great to see his top-shelf EV charging app starting to get some of the recognition it deserves. The CR tie-up and added visibility these ratings will give to industry stakeholders are only going to make things better for EV drivers everywhere.
That up there? That’s one of my early interview episodes of Quick Charge featuring a walkthrough of Chargeway+, another collab between Matt and Austin Energy. Enjoy!
SOURCE | IMAGES: Chargeway, Consumer Reports.
FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More.
-
Sports2 years ago‘Storybook stuff’: Inside the night Bryce Harper sent the Phillies to the World Series
-
Sports6 months agoStory injured on diving stop, exits Red Sox game
-
Sports2 years agoMLB Rank 2023: Ranking baseball’s top 100 players
-
Sports11 months agoGame 1 of WS least-watched in recorded history
-
Environment1 year agoJapan and South Korea have a lot at stake in a free and open South China Sea
-
Sports3 years ago
Team Europe easily wins 4th straight Laver Cup
-
Environment2 years agoGame-changing Lectric XPedition launched as affordable electric cargo bike
-
Business2 years agoBank of England’s extraordinary response to government policy is almost unthinkable | Ed Conway