Smart Grid Technology Particular Reference to Indian Power System

Smart Grid is adding necessary measuring, monitoring, communication, analysis and control capabilities to bring efficiency and optimization in electricity sector by integrating IT Technology onto the power network. - Robbin Pramanick

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Smart Grid Technology Particular Reference to Indian Power System

Smart Grid is adding necessary measuring, monitoring, communication, analysis and control capabilities to bring efficiency and optimization in electricity sector by integrating IT Technology onto the power network.

A full Smart Grid will encompasses all aspects of the power sector value chain, from What is Smart Grid? Generation, transmission, distribution to consumption.

Outlines of Presentation

  • Indian Power System – An overview
  • Smart Grid
  • Drivers for Smart Grid
  • Present Initiatives
  • Smart Grid Pilots
  • Smart Meter
  • Immediate Way Ahead.

Indian Power Sector – An Overview

  • Peak demand – 130,000 MW app.
  • Installed capacity – 210,937 MW
  • Economy to grow @ 7-8% p.a.
  • Power sector to Grow @10%
  • Per capita consumption for 2011-12– approx 820 kWh/annum.

Indian Power Sector

Projected Power Scenario

Components of Smart Grid

  • Transmission and Distribution Automation
  • Renewable Integration
  • Demand Participation
  • Small appliances / EV/ Storage
  • Distributed Generation & Storage
  • Energy Efficiency
  • System operation.

Renewable Energy sources (RES)

  • High Potential
  • Perennial energy source
  • Lower reliance on imported fossil fuels
  • Lower CO2 emissions
  • Wind power to contribute 74%.

Sun shines brightly over India

  • India can certainly use solar energy, as capital goods prices fall. Solar photo-voltaic provides DC power for about six hours a day.
  • Rs 100 per Wh capital cost: with 10% interest and payback in 20 years, amounts to Rs 12 per year(not computing costs of land).
  • Costs a little over Rs 7.25 / kWh assuming 10% losses
  • As opposed to Rs 3 to 5 per kWh for grid power.
  • If not used immediately, would require feeding to grid.
  • DC to AC conversion loss + grid T&D losses
  • Expensive energy being wasted Or Energy Storage Systems Just like several other renewable energy solutions like wind-power, power from ocean-waves
  • Off-grid (local usage) in day-time would make a lot of sense.

Decentralized Solar PV

Would be ideal in day time

  • To complement grid
  • Direct usage in offices / shopping malls can reduce the day time peak load requirement to a considerable extent
  • Some coupling to ice-battery (charged during off-peak hours)
  • Makes economic sense today, provided there is space for solar PV installation
  • Some solar PV / solar thermal feeding to grid would be helpful
  • What about evening peak loads?
  • Solar can not help here
  • Reducing load by enhancing efficiency
  • Reducing consumptions by introduction of time of day metering
  • Using some storage (electrical / ice-battery – charged during 5 PM to 7 PM).

Integration of Electric Vehicles

Electric vehicles will become an integrated part of smart grid: they will act both as mobile consumers & electrical storage possibilities.

The charging infrastructure for electric vehicles will have to comply with certain technical requirements. Indeed, an intelligent connection between the grid and the car is necessary to smoothly integrate the additional loads into the distribution networks, while coping with an increasing share of intermittent and decentralized renewable energy sources.

Latest Technology to be used for Smart Grid

  • Use of Superconductors for transmission lines, Transformers, Generators, HT Cables – Nano materials going to play a major role.
  • The sophisticated revenue models they will employ to shape customers’ behavior.
  • Easy-to-install, low-cost sensors to measure energy use with high resolution
  • Networked power electronics for everything from solid state; New Technology development opportunities, lighting to solar micro-inverters.
  • Grid-scale electricity storage to buffer transients in supply and demand.
  • Electrified-vehicle infrastructure including batteries and charging stations (Few MW).
  • Universal Remote Control to a Set-top Box which includes Home Control.
  • Fuel Cell.

Challenges to be tackled While Designing Smart Grid

  • Financial Resources
  • Government Support
  • Development of compatible Equipment
  • Speed of Technology Development
  • Policy and Regulation to be framed
  • Cooperation between different entities.

Drivers for Smart Grids in India

  • T&D loss reduction and efficiency improvements: Transmission & Distribution network losses (including commercial) is around 27% /year revenue losses to utilities through smart metering, modernization of lines and substations, automated systems)
  • Access to energy for the masses: About 20% rural households do not have access to power. Govt intend to electrify 100% households in next 5 years through micro-grids, rooftop solar)
  • Renewable integration to grid: Central theme of government is low carbon development. Several initiatives being taken to increase the share of renewable in energy mix.
  • Peak load management: Demand response for high volume consumers and micro grids for groups of consumers with captive generation facilities that can island during peak hours; enhancement in
  • energy efficiency and other demand side management programs
  • System improvements: Reduction in outages/power cuts, improvements in reliability and quality of supply
  • Customer service: Improved customer service
  • Infrastructure for electro-mobility: 6 million EVs expected by 2020.

Salient Features of Smart Grid

  • Self healing: The grid has the ability to rapidly detect,analyze, respond and restore from disturbances;
  • Tolerant to attack: The grid should be resilient to physical & cyber security attacks;
  • Provide quality power required by users;
  • Accommodate various generation options, including green power;
  • Allow competitive electricity markets;
  • Use IT for monitoring and minimize O & M costs;
  • Empower the consumer and incorporate consumer equipment and behavior in operation and design of the grid.

Overview of Smart Grid Technology

  • Detect and address emerging problems before they impact service;
  • Respond to local and system-wide inputs & know much more without broader system problems;
  • Incorporate extensive measurements, rapid communications and feedback controls that quickly return the system to a stable state after interruptions or disturbances;
  • Automatically adapt protective systems to accommodate changing system conditions;
  • Reroute power flows, change load patterns, improve voltage profiles and take other corrective steps within seconds of detecting a problem;
  • Enable loads and distributed resources to participate in operations;
  • Be a grid that is self-healing and adaptive, interactive with consumers & markets,more secure from attacks, accommodate all generation & storage options, accommodate bidirectional energy flow for net metering and predictive rather than just reacting to emergencies.

Smart grid requirements

  • Network planning
  • Power electronics (HVDC/FACTS)
  • Bulk renewable integration
  • Energy Management System (EMS)
  • Smart substation automation and protection
  • Integrated Substation Condition Monitoring (ISCM)
  • Communication Solutions
  • Distribution Management System (DMS)
  • Distribution automation and protection
  • Distributed Energy Resources (DER)
  • Decentralized Energy Management System (DEMS)
  • Smart metering solutions.

Network planning

A comprehensive strategy for building Smart Grids is necessary – including the part of the network that addresses power supply systems. The foundation for designing an efficient Smart Grid is a detailed analysis of the system’s required performance.

The solution will integrate the most innovative technologies for power generation, transmission, distribution and consumption, while taking into account each system’s individual history and current condition.

Power electronics (HVDC/FACTS)

Power electronic solutions f or High Voltage Direct Current transmission (HVDC) & Flexible Alternating Current Transmission Systems (FACTS) address the greatest challenges in power transmission.

FACTS devices can significantly increase the power transmission capacity of existing alternating current (AC) systems and extend maximum AC transmission distances by balancing the variable reactive power demand of the system.

Reactive power compensation is used to control AC voltage, increase system stability, and reduce power transmission losses.

Reinhaussen solutions for optimized high voltage direct current transmission (HDVC)

Bulk renewable integration

In order to begin fulfilling the climate protection requirements of 2020, we need to use energy efficiently and reduce CO2 emissions. Power generation needs to change accordingly.

Solutions for renewable energy integration (S&C)

Energy Management System (EMS)

At power plants, the focus is on ensuring reliable supply, using generation resources efficiently, and reducing transmission losses.

As Energy Management System (EMS) handles these by balancing the demands of the transmission system, generating units, and consumption. Intelligent Alarm Processors (IAPs) reduce the critical time needed to analyze faults in the grid and take corrective action, as well as the risk of incorrect analysis.

Smart substation automation and protection

The automation & protection of substations must be enhanced to securely meet the extended requirements of future Smart Grids. The substation is in the process of becoming a node on the utility IT network for all information from the distribution substation to the customer.

For example, data from the feeder automation units, power quality, meters, decentralized energy resources and home automation systems will be collected and analyzed to improve the system.

Integrated Substation Condition Monitoring (ISCM)

Integrated Substation Condition Monitoring

A modular system for monitoring all relevant substation components, from the transformer and switchgear to the overhead line and cable.Based on known, proven telecontrol units and substation automation devices, ISCM provides a comprehensive solution perfectly suited to substation environments.

Distribution Management System

It integrates seamlessly into the existing communication infrastructure so that monitoring information from the station and the control center is displayed.

Communication Solutions

Telecommunication systems for power grid transmission have a long history in the utility industry. In today’s transmission grids, almost all substations are integrated into a communication network that allows online monitoring and controlling by an Energy Management System (EMS).

An important element in creating and operating Smart Grid is comprehensive, consistent communication using sufficient bandwidth & devices with IP/Ethernet capability.

Networks of this kind must eventually extend all the way to individual consumers, who will be integrated into them using smart metering. Consistent end-to-end communication helps meet the requirement for online monitoring of all grid components and, among other things, creates opportunities to develop new business models for smart metering and integrating distributed power generation.

Distribution Management System (DMS)

Power Distribution Management System (DMS) will create a smart, self -healing grid by providing the following enhancements:

  • Reduction of the occurrence and duration of outages through the application of advanced fault location and network reconfiguration algorithms.
  • Minimization of losses through improved monitoring.
  • Optimized utilization of assets through management of demand and distributed generation.
  • Reduction of maintenance costs through online condition monitoring.

The smart management of power distribution grids is one of the key success factors for achieving ambitious Smart Grid goals.

Different configuration for managing DER

Distribution automation protection

The following levels of distribution automation can serve as a roadmap for grid upgrades moving toward the implementation of a Smart Grid.

Local Automation (without communication)

  • Sectionalize (automated fault restoration by using switching sequences)
  • Voltage regulator (automated voltage regulation for long feeders)
  • Reclose controller (auto-reclose circuit breaker for overhead lines).

Control, monitoring, and automation (two-way communication to distribution substation or control center)

  Distribution Automation RTU (DA – RTU) with powerful communication and automation features applicable to Smart Grid functions, for instance:

  • Automated self -healing routines
  • Node station for power quality applications
  • Data concentrator for smart metering systems
  • Node station for decentralized power generation
  • Node station for demand – response applications.

Distributed Energy Resource (DER)

Integration of distributed energy resources (DER) calls for a completely new concept: the virtual power plant. A virtual power plant connects many small plants that participate in the energy market in a completely new way.

Linked together in the network, the power plants can be operated even more efficiently and therefore more economically than before, benefiting the operators of decentralized generating facilities.

Decentralized Energy Management System (DEMS)

DEMS, the core of the virtual power plant, is equally appropriate for utilities, industrial operations,

DEMS uses three tools to optimize power:

  • Predictions,
  • Operational planning
  • Real-time optimization.

Smart metering solutions

Automated Metering & Information System (AMIS) records the power consumption of each individual consumer over time, and in turn, consumers are given detailed information about their power consumption.

A.B.C. Hydro smart meter, which uses short bursts of radio waves to communication with the electricity grid

Decentralized Energy Management Systems (DEMS)

Experts estimate that the use of smart meters can save up to ten terawatt-hours of electricity, or almost two percent of total energy consumption

Smart Grid Roadmap for India

Vision: Transform the Indian power sector into a secure, adaptive sustainable and digitally enabled ecosystem that provides reliable and quality energy for all with active participation of stakeholders. In order to achieve this vision a forum and task force is formed in India.

India Smart Grid Forum (ISGF), which is a non-profit voluntary consortium of public and private stakeholders, was launched on 26th May 2010.India Smart Grid Task Force (SGTF) is formed, which is an Inter-Ministerial Group and will serve as a focal point for activities related to the smart grid technology. Sam Pitroda, Advisor to PM on Public Information Infrastructure and Innovation is the Chairman for Task Force.

In order to achieve this vision, stakeholders are advised to formulate state/utility specific policies and programs.

Distribution

  • Appropriate policies and programs to provide access to electricity for all with uninterrupted life line supply (8 hours/day minimum, including the evening peak) and electrification of 100% households by 2017.
  • Availability of an indigenous low cost smart meter by 2014.
  • Development of Micro grids, storage options, virtual power plants (VPP), solar photovoltaic to grid (PV2G), and building to grid (B2G) technologies in order to manage peak demand.
  • Policies for mandatory roof top solar power generation for large establishments, i.e., with connected load more than 20kW.
  • EV charging facilities may be created in all parking lots, institutional buildings, apartment blocks. Micro grids in 1000 villages/industrial parks/commercial hubs by 2017 & 10,000 villages/industrial parks/commercial hubs by 2022, which can island from the main grid during peak hours or grid disturbances.
  • Optimally balancing different sources of generation through efficient scheduling and dispatch of distributed energy resources (including captive plants in the near term) with goal of long term energy sustainability.

Transmission

  • Development of a reliable, secure and resilient grid supported by a strong communication infrastructure by 2027.
  • Implementation of Wide Area Monitoring Systems (WAMS, using Phasor Measurement Units, or PMUs) for the entire transmission system.
  • Setting up of Renewable Energy Monitoring Centre’s (REMCs) and Energy Storage Systems to facilitate grid integration of renewable generation.
  • Enabling programs and projects in transmission utilities to reduce transmission losses to below 4% by 2017 and below 3.5% by 2022.
  • Implement power system enhancements to facilitate evacuation and integration of 30 GW renewable capacity by 2017, 80 GW by 2022, and 130 GW by 2027.
  • 50,000 Kms of optical fiber cables to be installed over transmission lines by the year 2017 to support implementation of smart grid technologies.

Policies, Standards and Regulations

  • Formulation of effective customer outreach and communication programs for active involvement of consumers in the smart grid implementation.
  • Development of state/utility specific strategic roadmap(s) for implementation of smart grid technologies across the state/utility by 2014.
  • Policies for grid-interconnection of captive/consumer generation facilities (including renewable) where ever technically feasible; policies for roof-top solar, net-metering/feed-in tariff; and policies for peaking power stations by 2014.
  • Policies for energy efficiency in public infrastructure including EV charging facilities by 2015 and for demand response ready appliances by 2017. Relevant policies in this regard to be finalized by 2014.

Other Initiatives

  • Tariff mechanisms, new energy products, energy options and programs to encourage participation of customers in the energy markets that make them “prosumers” – producers and consumers – by 2017.
  • Create an effective information exchange platform that can be shared by all market participants, including prosumers, in real time which will lead to the development of energy markets.
  • Investment in research and development, training and capacity building programs for creation of adequate resource pools for developing and implementing smart grid technologies in India as well as export of smart grid know-how, products & services.

Conclusions

In the coming years, many distribution systems will not resemble the distribution systems of today. These systems will have advanced metering, robust communications capability, extensive automation and distributed generation. Through the integrated use of these technologies, smart grids will be able to operate, provide high degree of reliability & power quality.

There will also be muti-directional power flow possible, increased equipment utilization & more importantly, the customers will be offered a variety of services possibly at lower costs.

Intelligent or Smart grids, the vision unfolded, would soon becomes a reality in a couple of years. Increasing energy demands, depletion of natural resources, effect of carbon emissions, need for a sustainable environment together with changing life styles requiring increased automation, make smart grids an inevitable option of the future.

The only viable way to realize an extensive smart grid is to develop a vision for the ultimate design of a smart grid and then make short term decisions that incrementally transform existing distribution systems into this future vision.


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