Primary frequency control quality under high RES scenarios: role of conventional generation

The increasing penetration of renewable energy sources (RES) decreases the number of committed conventional generators. Currently, conventional generators such as coal-fired power plants provide frequency control reserves. With less generators available, system inertia and control capacity decrease. Under such conditions, it is of outmost importance that those generators that provide reserve, respond in due time, i.e., a high frequency control quality is needed. The objective of this project is to evaluate the responsiveness of a 500 + 300 MW coal-fired power plant in Spain. By means of available measurements, response dynamics will be characterized and a appropriate model will be identified (i.e., its parameters will be adjusted).