19PV Grid Integration

Key questions addressed:

• When is it cheaper to manage the “last” kWh through storage and other flexibility measures and when is a curtailment the most economical solution?
• Which parameters influence these decisions and what is the
  sensitivity of these parameters?
• Is it possible to anticipate a target situation (e.g. a 100% RES-energy system) and derive the need for the electricity
  grid-infrastructure from there in a back-casting method?
• Is there a way to define a reasonable “PV-hosting-level”, which is needed in future to host the PV power in the distribution grid?
• What is the role of flexible tariffs, local storages, local load
  management (HP, E-Mob., etc…) and a flexibility market
  regarding the integration of large PV capacities.
• What are optimal frame conditions to push local power
  management and how should these future developments
  influence the necessary grid expansion plans.

Proposed overall outcome:

• Overview of technical and economic concepts for a
  successful implementation of the national PV targets in the
  existing power network.
• Development of templates for national “PV expansion”
  master plans.

Key questions addressed:

• How to ensure a participation of Prosumers in the development of DER grid integration.
• Integration of Prosumer expectations in the definition of the bill of rights and obligations.
• Evaluation of existing and new regulatory rules and technical standards against the bill of rights and obligations of Prosumers.

Proposed outcome:

• Template for national or even international bill of
  rights and obligations of Prosumers, expressed,
  for example, through an Aggregator Code of
  Conduct.
• Harmonized integration Prosumers with their
  distributed energy systems into the evolution
  towards a 100% RES based energy system.

Key questions addressed:

• How can smart meter data effectively being used to increase the hosting capacity of distribution networks?
• How to introduce smart inverters that optimize the utilization of solar energy for their customers with local DER integration and DSM?
• AI applications in the operation of DSO networks with high PV penetration.
• Cybersecurity has become an important topic also for PV systems.

Proposed outcome:

• Opportunities and necessities for PV in intelligent power grids/smart grids.
• Comparison of digitalization approaches and connected services for PV grid integration.
• Guidelines for Cyber security measures for PV-systems.

Key questions addressed:

• Obligations do not reflect value and impact of PV system output.
• Measures, demanded by the DSO, are not acceptable for the PV System investor.
• Network operator processes are often not adapted to meanwhile quite high installation numbers.

Activities:

• Overview and comparison on international interconnection standards.
• Processes for compliance testing.
• Analysis of commissioning processes and best practice evaluation.
• Potential improvements based on digitalization.
• Monitoring requirements.

Proposed outcome:

• Overview on evolution of international grid connection standards.
• Best practice of approval procedures.

Activities:

• Collection of case studies on curtailment.

Proposed Outcome:

• Field reports from implemented solutions in IEA countries and beyond.
• Inverter / controller screening, list of optimal and available solutions.
• Best practice and recommendations.

Activities:

• Collect case studies in member countries of
  demonstration and testing projects utilizing gridforming converters.
• Review and compare grid codes and standards regarding the definition, test, and validation of gridforming features like inertia, fault support, and phase balancing.
• Identify best-practices and develop recommendations, based on field experiences.

Proposed outcome:

• Overview of solutions from research and development, Laboratory and field tests.
• Recommendations.

Activities:

• What (technical) aggregator models are around (or
  discussed) globally?
• Is there a “best practice” of existing Energy Communities
  concerning grid services, from which recommendations can be derived?
• Evaluation of the experiences with local markets on the
  distribution level offering ancillary services.
• Dynamic Operation Envelopes as a solution for future grid operation in (overloaded) distribution networks.
• Interesting Aggregator models are around at least in Norway (PVPS workshop) and Australia (AEMO).
• How can this be used in practice for a strong PV expansion?

Proposed outcome:

• Analysis of Aggregator models and their services towards
  Prosumers and markets.
• Overview on Energy Communities and the design of local
  markets.
• Best practice report and recommendations.

Activities:

• Goal of this activity is to evaluate existing Energy Management Systems.
• Existing standards for the interoperability of Smart Home devices and Distributed Energy Systems.

Proposed outcome:

• Recommendations for broad application and further development of EMS.

Needs & challenges:

• Create awareness about the timely different value of a PV
  produced kWh.
• Introducing a significant difference in revenues depending on the time of production to create benefit to the profitability of local load management as well as different PV orientations.
• Change in Energy market design with high share of renewable energy – Fixed feed in tariffs and compensation for curtailment will not continue.

Activities:

• Overview and comparison of new energy market design reflecting 100% RES based power system.

Proposed outcome:

• Concept for a “Crash-course” Energy market for Prosumer and PV-Installer.
• Analysis and evaluation of models with time dependent feed
  in tariffs up to the end consumer / residential PV operator.
• Overview and evaluation of new energy market design.