WUNSIEDEL SLOW AND FAST DYNAMICS TRIAL

Location

Wunsiedel, Germany



Local situation

Up until now, there was only little effort made in terms of collecting and interpreting real-time grid data. The system is therefore currently lacking a powerful measurement infrastructure.

In a related project, carried out in Wunsiedel, i.e. GOFLEX, flexibilities have been managed and traded in a 15 minutes time frame to balance the market using intraday and reserve mechanisms. A flexibility management and aggregation platform, together with a flexibility market platform, have been implemented and tested. In order to provide communications between platforms, and between flexibility providing devices (flexibility providers), as well as to flexibility user systems, the FlexOffer protocol has been developed and is meanwhile well accepted by other parties.

What is the edgeFlex focus in this trial?

In its Wunsiedel trial edgeFLEX can build on the results and still existing infrastructure of the GOFLEX project which has been implemented in the city of Wunsiedel in Bavaria in southern Germany, meaning the Wunsiedel utility will incorporate new elements of grid control while preserving the existing GOFLEX infrastructure. The solution providers from GOFLEX will extend in edgeFLEX the system to link to more control devices with algorithms that will be needed in a future, more volatile energy system.

New devices shall be introduced to the system (e.g. Phasor Measurement Units – PMU) or existing edge controllers be used to run control algorithms that allow for fast frequency, inertia and voltage control.

The mechanism developed in the course of GOFLEX will be expand to enable communication and negotiation with distributed reactive energy modules and with fast edge type services, whilst the edgeFLEX Brokerage System will manage all necessary data and include algorithms for an optimal operation of the Wunsiedel sub-system.

Main objectives

      • To extend the definition of the FlexOffer protocol for the automation of a Flexibility Market and Aggregation platform for better power grid services
      • To enable third party appliances and new types of edge control devices link to the GOFLEX platforms.
      • To investigate optimal planning and control of flexibilities and edge control, using the GOFLEX mechanisms for cloud to edge communication.

Work done and Results

The SWW trial builds on the results acquired and infrastructure developed within a former project conducted in Wunsiedel, called GOFLEX, in which consumers were recruited to allow flexibility trading to fulfil the project’s goals of accelerating integration of distribution solutions and establishing a market for flexibility trading. Customers were equipped with Energy Management Systems (EMS) and intelligent measuring equipment to enable automated energy and flexibility trading. These systems were successfully integrated into the edgeFLEX plan as communication between this system and the technologies developed in edgeFLEX was established. An Energy Community was created and implemented in all forms but legal with stakeholders from Wunsiedel signing contracts in order to participate and to be engaged. The tests conducted in this trial involved power grid supporting services for normal condition operation and stability support services using flexibility potentials. These tests aim to focus on voltage control and grid balancing measures. The communication between the EMS and the edgeFLEX technologies has made it possible to create flexibility offers both for a singular asset as well as from multiple assets simulation an Energy Community acting as a VPP. The results show that voltage control issues can be tackled by utilising flexibility offer schemes and the Energy Community acting as a VPP can support balancing services for power gird operations.

Interview with a representative of the management from the pilot site responsible partner

 

  Dipl.-Ing. Gerhard Meindl

 

 

Mr. Gerhard Meindl has been working for many years as a senior consultant and    project  manager for research and development at various energy supply companies.
Prior to that, he was, among other things, the commercial manager of an industrial company. He now works for Es-geht! GmbH as Senior Project Manager. Mr. Meindl is responsible for the following departments at Es-geht!:

  • Research and development of future energy and mobility systems for the use of renewable energy sources
  • System studies on the stability of the networks, network expansion requirements and the integration of innovative components and system control, including e-mobility
  • Considerations of regional supply and mobility concepts up to the European overall system

Can you please give me a short one sentence statement describing the benefit of the trial for the society?

If the trial is positive, then we show that a joint management of flexible and intermittent assets can yield increased financial output; in turn this shall support increased attractivity of investment in intermittent low-carbon sources of energy, that are necessary as a part of solving the incredibly huge challenge that climate change poses to human race.

Which special focus of edgeFLEX persuaded you to become a partner of the project?

A possible combination of flexible trading and grid stability has drawn me into this project.

Utilising both of these aspects will enable a firm platform for continuous energy supply as well as ensuring a smooth trading between energy supplier and consumer.

What will be the expected benefits for your company?

SWW Wunsiedel GmbH will benefit from an optimized business case. as well as achieving a higher energy yield. This will contribute to a higher energy exchange rate, which will be translated directly into a higher cash flow to the company. Moreover, flexibility trading will reduce energy losses and will generate additional revenue for the company.