ACCELERATING RENEWABLE ENERGY CONNECTION
DER Integration
Main Functionality :
Integration of all types of controllable demand and generation is a central feature of Constellation. Real time control of wind, solar, synchronous, demand and battery systems etc is built into all applicable modules. Each system can also be linked to the prediction engines enabling it's participation in future services.
Thermal Constraint Manager
Main Functionality :
This module monitors for thermal and voltage violations in realtime. On detection of one or more network violations, DERs contributing to the violations are curtailed in order to resolve the problem. DERs can be constrained based upon user-defined Principles of Access (POAs). The ANM module can respond to both demand-led and generation-lead constraints, and as such will respond appropriately to all types of DERs, including energy storage.
Voltage Control
Main Functionality :
Real time monitoring and management of voltage levels provides curtailment of DERs when voltage levels exceed user defined limits. Voltage control can be performed alongside thermal constraint management and the same levels of optimisation and PoA can be applied to the DERs. Limits can be user defined or determined by a Constraint Manager module.
Reactive Power Control
Main Functionality :
Reactive power control is used to maintain network voltages based on synchronous generator type droop characteristics. This module enables multiple DERs to provide a co-ordinated response to voltage changes in real time supplementing conventional generation. Network constraints and PoA, including cost based priorities, are used to determine the DER operation.
SUPPORTING ENERGY MARKETS
Demand Prediction
Main Functionality :
The Predictor provides short and long range predictions of system loads for use in the decision making processes. It uses neural forecasting to predict demand based on historical data. It supports an active learning process where the neural model is continually learning from historical data to optimise the accuracy of the predictions.
Generation Prediction
Main Functionality :
The Predictor provides short and long range predictions of Generation for use in the decision making processes. It uses neural forecasting to predict DER output based on historical data and current weather forecasts , date time and other factors. It supports an active learning process where the neural model is continually learning from historical data to optimise the accuracy of the predictions.
Congestion Forecasting
Main Functionality :
Congestion forecasting integrates demand and generation predictions with thermal and voltage constraint management. Driven by the NOVA Prediction engine and live weather forecasts this module identifies possible network constraints and the level of DER curtailment required to mitigate them. The results can then be reported to planning engineers or utilised by market based modules to procure services ahead of time.
Market Maker
Main Functionality :
Integration of all types of controllable demand and generation of all sizes is a central feature of Constellation. Real time control of smaller wind, solar, synchronous, demand and storage systems etc is possible both directly and indirectly via aggregators. This module provides a rich interface to allow virtualisation of aggregated assets for operation by the standard Constellation applications.
FACILITATING WHOLE SYSTEM APPROACH
Transmission ANM
Main Functionality :
This module monitors for thermal and voltage violations in realtime. On detection of one or more network violations, DERs contributing to the violations are curtailed in order to resolve the problem. DERs can be constrained based upon user-defined Principles of Access (POAs). The ANM module can respond to both demand-led and generation-lead constraints, and as such will respond appropriately to all types of DERs, including energy storage.
Balancing Services
Main Functionality :
Procurement of future services is facilitated using either a gate based bidding process or simple cost based scheduling service. Both methods enable DERs to offer power and voltage services ahead of time for services such as constraint management or voltage control. The balancing services then integrates with the appropriate real time modules to automatically dispatch the accepted DER services in response to the live network conditions.
Virtual Power Plant
Main Functionality :
The Virtual Power Plant Module (VPP) can provide ongoing MW and MVAr support services at the point of delivery i.e. the Grid Supply Point. The VPP module determines the amount of MW and MVAr available in realtime from each of the participating DERs , allowing for network constraints and provides an aggregated MW and MVAr
N-x Intertripping
Main Functionality :
The N-3 module allows DER curtailment for more complex grouped assets with shared constraints, typically multiple parallel GSP transformers. The DER curtailment is calculated from the number of assets in service and a table of associated ratings. The ratings can be configured to provide either post-fault or pre-fault curtailment of the DERs based on the in-service assets.
IMPROVING GRID RESILLIENCE
Microgrid / Islanding
Main Functionality :
The Microgrid Controller performs constant analysis of the network in real time to determine the power flows and network voltages throughout the network area constantly balancing load and generation in realtime. The controller maintains all voltages and powerflows within the network constraints and constantly maximises the headroom and foot-room available at the grid forming generator to respond to unexpected events network disturbances such as sudden loss of demand or generation capability.
Blackstart
Main Functionality :
The Black Start provides supervisory control of a system during a black start recovery. DERs are enrolled automatically when the become available in order to support a synchronous anchor generator. The DERs are then dispatched to keep the anchor generator within stability limits so that demand centres can be re-energised. The restoration order is determined by the expected demand pick up and the level of available generation in order to maintain system stability.
Fault Level Management
Main Functionality :
Real time calculation of system fault levels allows the management of circuit breaker operations. Integration with available DERs enables a system where DERs can be tripped in order to reduce excessive fault levels if required. In microgrid and blackstart applications this module is also capable of managing low fault level situations to ensure correct co-ordination with external protection schemes.
Rating Management
Main Functionality :
In order to ensure that the system is capable of delivery of the required services at all times this module uses contingency analysis to establish that the power flows and voltages remain within acceptable limits under defined abnormal or N-1 running arrangements.
Two methods of determining the post fault voltage limits and thermal ratings are supported. These calculations are used during the real-time analysis.
Modular System Development
Applications are combined to create scalable architecture from localised Constraint management schemes to enterprise scale system platforms running multiple applications.