Abstract
In the bulk power system, forecasting and scheduling demand and generating resources is the initial step in maintaining power system frequency. To improve system frequency, controllable generating resources can provide adjustments to ensure balance between supply and demand in real-time operations. This existing process is currently being challenged with the deployment of intermittent sources such as wind and solar, which can impact total supply and demand forecasts. As a result, more flexible resources and more dynamic control schemes are clearly needed to adapt the system design to meet the disruptive renewable sources being deployed in large numbers. In this paper, the goal is to demonstrate how through minimizing schedule deviations by a unified smart generating system, the short-term primary frequency response, as well as the long-term frequency profile of a multi-area network can be significantly enhanced. This concept can potentially improve system operations through distributed control schemes rather than centralized control schemes currently adopted by independent system operators. To demonstrate this concept, realtime digital simulation with hardware-in-the-loop has been deployed to mimic realistic conditions under which schedule deviations and primary frequency response can be improved in real-time.