Synchronous Condenser Applications: Under Significant Resource Portfolio Changes

California has a mandated renewables portfolio Standard (RPS) requiring that 33% of electricity retail sales be served by renewable energy resources by 2020, 60% by 2030, and 100% by 2045. Over the last 10 years, wind and solar have become the dominant renewable resources in California, with solar predominating in the last five years. Figure 1 shows the renewable generation growth trend from 1983 to 2018. Combined with the retirements of fossil fuel and nuclear generation, the California grid is experiencing the loss of inertial kinetic energy and reactive power resources, which presents a challenge to maintaining system reliability and stability.