1. Intelligent Power Module
SMARES PROJECT: SMART ENERGY-STORING MODULAR TECHNOLOGY WITH ADVANCED ENERGY MANAGEMENT FOR RENEWABLE ENERGY SYSTEMS
Pedro CARLOS
EDP NEW R&D - Portugal
Salvador RODRIGUEZ
GPTech - Spain
Bernardo SILVA
INESC TEC - Portugal
SMARES is a project aiming at enhancing the integration of renewable power plants by developing and testing in real environment a promising power electronic equipment, with a state-of-the-art energy storage system and focused on the improvement of network stability for grid code compliance.
Technology
Key Advantages
> The Modular Multilevel Converter is a shunt device (STATCOM) capable of improving the stability of the network, mainly by reactive power compensation.
> The modules have a full-bridge topology, featuring IGBTs and a Distributed Energy Storage System (DESS) using supercapacitors.
> It will have a reactive power capacity of 7MVAr and an active power capacity of 1MW.
> Modularity - allowing for hot-swapping capabilities, reduction of MTBF and easiness of scalability.
> Multilevel concept - Less filtering, higher efficiency and compatibility with wider range of energy storage solutions.
> Intelligent Power Modules - integrating a local controller per module with a master controller for the whole converter.
> Improved logistics - size reduction and quicker installation.
Demonstrator
> Demonstrator in Sobral II Wind Farm (Sobral de Monte Agraço, Portugal).
> Wind farm with seven 2MW turbines connected to the 30kV distribution grid in a region with high penetration of wind energy.
> Frequently experiences grid disturbances and forced disconnections.
> On-site demonstration period of 8 to 12 months.
Intelligent Power Module
Use Cases
UC 1 - Grid voltage regulation
UC 2 - Reactive power regulation
UC 3 - Power factor control
UC 4 - THD reduction
Wind Farm
UC 5 - Voltage ride-through
UC 6 - Frequency response
UC 7 - Frequency ride-through
Lab.
Current status and future works
> After the conclusion of the System Requirements Identification and the Use Case Definition tasks, the project is currently undergoing the Technical Specification and the Computational Simulation phases, soon to be concluded.
> The next stages will involve the converter manufacturing, the small-scale prototype laboratory tests and the preparation of the wind farm.
> Finally, the real environment demonstration in the wind farm is scheduled to start by the beginning of next year.