Image: Haberdoedas, Unsplash
Spanish grid operator Red Eléctrica de España (REE) said this week that it has authorized 24 renewable energy facilities to provide dynamic voltage regulation services under Operational Program 7.4 (OP 7.4). The approval follows a request submitted by REE in 2020 and a June decision by the National Commission for Markets and Competition (CNMC) to grant authorization through an urgent resolution.
The company said it is “prepared for these facilities to begin offering this service as soon as it receives notification” and invited other renewable energy operators to apply for permission.
According to OP 7.4, participating power stations must demonstrate that they are able to supply or absorb reactive power equal to at least 30% of their maximum output to stabilize the voltage in the grid. Facilities can manage voltage based on reactive power setpoints or based on real-time voltage setpoints, the latter able to respond more quickly to fluctuations in a system increasingly dominated by variable renewable energy sources.
REE said it received 168 applications, of which 125 were from non-dispatchable renewable plants. Twenty-four are ready to begin testing, while the rest either have no way to monitor the voltage setpoint or are finalizing documentation.
Approved facilities will receive priority shipping and may be eligible for shorter lead times. Conventional generating units such as combined cycle and hydropower plants are also needed to provide dynamic base voltage control, but REE said it is prioritizing renewables because they are “the only ones that can provide new resources to the system.”
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