Insular system management

Maximize the use of renewable energies
while ensuring grid balancing

ABOUT

Ensure the stability of insular power grids while maximizing solar penetration

On an island, renewables are usually the only form of energy that can be produced locally. That makes them an interesting choice compared to other conventional sources, as they allow to pursue ambitious energy transition objectives and reduce electricity production cost. However, depending on the location, size and orography of the island, the variability of the solar and wind resources can be quite important. As insular electricity networks are fully isolated, this fact can play a major role in the grid management as their penetration in the electricity mix increases.

Hence, being able to predict significant drops in renewable resources is crucial to optimally compensate for the production decrease with a different energy source or storage and thus guarantee power quality and grid stability.

In the operational phase of the plants, solar and wind forecasting on different time scales proves to be the best practical solution to predict the fluctuations in energy production.

In the planning/development phase, this is achieved by conducting different types of studies:

Sizing of energy storage systems (centralized or not)

Analysis of the variability of the solar and wind resources

Estimation of the solar potential of a specific site

Long-term mix strategy, grid code specification support

Steadysun has successfully deployed insular products and services in places where the penetration rates of electricity production from variable sources can exceed 30% of the consumption.

Optimize the management of the grid and the spinning reserves by limiting the impact of the intrinsic variability of renewable energies.

KEY BENEFITS

Why use wind and solar forecasting for insular system management?

REACH ENERGY TRANSITION REQUIREMENTS

Reduce the carbon footprint of the electricity production mix by optimizing the management of operating reserves/spinning reserves and then reducing fossil fuel consumption.

AVOID THE RISK OF BLACKOUTS

By anticipating the significant drops in power production caused by sudden changes in weather conditions and optimizing the real-time dispatch strategy of the different energy sources, thus ensuring electricity supply.

REDUCE ELECTRICITY PRODUCTION COSTS

By using massively renewable energies: the use of fossil fuels will be reduced and the gensets lifespan will be increased, reducing maintenance costs.