Posters

Abstract

Europe is facing physical and administrative grid congestion to integrate large amount of renewable energy projects. What is grid congestion? * Grid congestion can be physical or administrative. * A sub-station with limited infrastructure to connect a new consumer faces physical congestion. * A sub-station with long list of consumers waiting to be connected after official agreements were signed with the grid operator, faces administrative congestion. To accommodate all the projects in pipeline, the grid infrastructure must be heavily upgraded for which ENTSO-E estimates 9 billion euro every year[1]. Before upgrading the infrastructure, the existing grid must be optimally utilized. The intermittent nature of wind and solar energy allows us to do this. Alternative solutions to integrate solar and wind energy will help developers and grid operators reduce investment costs and integrate more renewables in less time. What are the alternative ways of integrating renewables outside congestion management? Shared Grid Connection A shared Grid connection refers to combining solar and wind and/or battery storage within one connection of the grid operator. By combining solar and wind, the return of investment on the required infrastructure can be increased and more sustainable generation can be realized on the same connection. A shared grid connection brings the utilization factor above 40% and promotes co-located projects[2] Direct cable connection(s) to Industry Industries face the biggest challenge to de-carbonize their process. A direct connection of solar and wind source to an industrial park reduces the burden on the public grid operator. Time Limited transmission contract A traditional transmission contract with the grid operator is for unlimited time with maximum power. Time-limited transport capacity is a tool that must be introduced by the grid operators which stipulates regulated transmission during peak hours of grid load. This allows integration of more prosumers.