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Grid Forming Loads to provide maximum flexibility and enable future power systems with very high renewable generation penetration

Project description

Grid stability with smart loads

Modern power systems are changing rapidly with the rise of renewable energy, electric vehicles and digital technologies. Unlike traditional power plants, solar and wind energy cannot easily adjust their output to balance the grid. This makes it harder to ensure stability and meet energy demands. Current solutions, like using batteries or reducing renewable output, are costly and inefficient. With this in mind, the EU-funded GridForLoads project offers a smarter solution. It shifts grid-support functions to energy-consuming devices, known as grid forming loads. By enabling devices like electric vehicle chargers and pump drives to stabilise the grid, renewables can operate at full capacity. The project will pave the way for a more reliable and sustainable energy system.

Objective

Modern power systems are experiencing a deep transformation motivated by the massive deployment of renewable energy generation, the irruption of electrical mobility and the digitalization of the energy systems. In traditional power systems, power balancing is provided by conventional power plants that are capable of adjusting the power injection. However, the recent massive deployment of variable (non-dispatchable) power-electronics interfaced renewables, mainly solar photovoltaics (PV) and wind power, has brought a very important challenge and demands to rethink how the whole power system needs to be designed, operated and protected. Solar PV and wind have limited flexibility compared to other technologies which store the prime resource. The flexibility can be provided by operating these non-controllable renewables below the point of maximum power generation (with the associated loss of generation), using energy storage or with demand management. In addition to power balancing, it is also required to provide grid services and forming the grid ensuring stability. While this is traditionally provided from the generation side, this project focuses on providing these functionalities from the loads, thus developing the concept of Grid Forming (GF) Loads and allowing renewable generators to operate at the point of maximum power availability. The project objectives include the concept definition, selection of loads, development of controllers, implementation in relevant applications (electrical vehicle chargers, pump drives, railway power systems), systems studies and techno-economic and environmental studies on the impact. The project is structured in seven work packages and includes experimental validation of the concept in selected loads and overall systems studies.

Fields of science (EuroSciVoc)

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Keywords

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Programme(s)

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Topic(s)

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Funding Scheme

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HORIZON-RIA - HORIZON Research and Innovation Actions

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Call for proposal

Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.

(opens in new window) HORIZON-CL5-2024-D2-01

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Coordinator

UNIVERSITAT POLITECNICA DE CATALUNYA
Net EU contribution

Net EU financial contribution. The sum of money that the participant receives, deducted by the EU contribution to its linked third party. It considers the distribution of the EU financial contribution between direct beneficiaries of the project and other types of participants, like third-party participants.

€ 647 543,75
Address
CALLE JORDI GIRONA 31
08034 Barcelona
Spain

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Region
Este Cataluña Barcelona
Activity type
Higher or Secondary Education Establishments
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Total cost

The total costs incurred by this organisation to participate in the project, including direct and indirect costs. This amount is a subset of the overall project budget.

€ 647 543,75

Participants (5)

Partners (1)

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