access icon openaccess Assessment of the impact of MMC-VSC intrinsic energy on power system stability

Synchronous generation is being displaced by renewable energy sources and high-voltage direct current (HVDC) interconnectors. These factors will lead to a diminishing provision of ancillary services. Conventional services tendered to provide network support rely on the availability of synchronous generation and because of this, future power system operators will have to develop new ways to obtain the ancillary services required. A technology rapidly gaining in popularity is voltage source converter (VSC)-based HVDC and further advances in the technology have led to the modular multilevel converter (MMC). Due to the design of an MMC there is intrinsic electrostatic energy that could potentially be utilised to provide ancillary services. This study determines the electrostatic energy available from a typical grid-scale MMC VSC for network support during disturbances and for power oscillation damping. Supporting simulations are provided to ascertain the impact that this electrostatic energy could have on network performance if utilised. This study displays that although an MMC possesses intrinsic energy, utilising it for frequency response would provide negligible system benefits. However, for POD, the available intrinsic MMC energy did improve system stability which leads to the potential of using multiple MMCs to increase the energy and further improve system stability.

Inspec keywords: synchronous generators; power grids; power transmission control; power convertors; HVDC power transmission; wind power plants; renewable energy sources; damping; HVDC power convertors; power system control; power system stability

Other keywords: renewable energy sources; typical grid-scale MMC VSC; ancillary services; negligible system benefits; dissimilar characteristics; network support; power oscillation damping; MMC-VSC intrinsic energy; available intrinsic MMC energy; power system stability; intrinsic electrostatic energy; high-voltage direct current interconnectors; modular multilevel converter; synchronous generators; synchronous generation; network performance; conventional services; wind power plants; further improve system stability; MMC possesses intrinsic energy; voltage source converter-based HVDC; grid stabilisation; operating principles; supporting simulations; future power system operators; diminishing provision

Subjects: Synchronous machines; Power system control; Control of electric power systems; d.c. transmission; Wind power plants; Power convertors and power supplies to apparatus

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