Inertia Shortfall and the Capability of Inverter-based Generation to provide Inertial Response: A Review for Australian Power System

This paper discusses the status quo of the Australian power system revolving around the frequency stability problem yielded by inertia shortfall. Corresponding actions carried out by related governing bodies in the Australian power sector are also presented. Moreover, a short overview on the techniques to enable the capability of inverter-based renewable resources (IBRS) in contributing virtual inertia has also been conducted, focusing on wind power generators without energy storage and solar photovoltaics (PVs) paired with battery storage systems. It is found that the adjusted operational objective function with suitable supplementary inertial control loop(s) is economically beneficial for both the IBRS plants and the Australian power system considering the situation in Australia and the global obligatory trend in renewable energy development. The study of this paper could facilitate further investigations regarding system inertia calculation as well as changes in frequency control practices in power networks with high IBRS penetration levels.