How converters stabilize the power grid
The Swiss Federal Office of Energy published a technical article on the results of the ACSICON project (a FEN project with Hitachi Energy) entitled "How converters stabilize the power grid". The article illustrates very well why the future power grid will need dynamic grid support from converters.
Photovoltaics are being drastically expanded in Switzerland to ensure a renewable energy supply. Unlike conventional power plants, solar power systems do not need generators to produce electricity. This means that the rotating masses that stabilize the electricity grid in traditional power generating plants are missing. A study from researchers at ETH Zurich shows how the problem can be circumvented: with the “grid-supporting” operation of converters, such as those installed in solar plants, but also in wind power plants and battery storage systems.
ACSICON stands for "Novel Analysis and Control Solutions for Dynamic Security Issues in the future" and is a project funded by the Swiss Federal Office of Energy and carried out by FEN and Hitachi Energy Research, completed in December 2020.
More information:
The project website of ACSICON
external pageFinal report (English)
external pageThe SFOE website for the project