Preparing for the unexpected
A dynamic study for the power transmission grid of the future - by Anne-Laure Matthijs
What happens if lightning strikes the electrical grid at a sensitive spot? This question needs to be answered before a grid is built or developed further.
Previous research has found the optimal layout for a power grid in Switzerland for the expected disturbance-free (or “steady-state”) power consumption and generation for the coming three decades. However, the assessment of the grid's dynamic response to disturbances such as lightning strikes is missing.
To close this gap, we model this optimal steady-state grid in a new software environment which allows to extend the model to the dynamic behaviour of power plants, loads, and the network in general. This new environment is the basis of future studies assessing the system's dynamic responses to transient disturbances lasting milliseconds. The model will be available for further research concerning the future electricity grid and help energy providers build reliable, future-proof grids.
Text by Anne-Laure Matthijs; image by Philippe Donn (www.pexels.com)
How small-scale devices work together to stabilise the power grid - by Jan Brändle