Investigation of load-frequency-control with increasing penetration of converter-based generators

Nowadays conventional power plants connected to the transmission system provide instantaneous reserve with energy stored in the rotating masses. In the future, many conventional power plants will be replaced by generation based on renewable energy sources in situations with strong wind and solar irradiation. Based on a load-frequency-control model and a sophisticated scenario of generation and load in Europe in 2033, this paper demonstrates that the existing conventional power plants can provide enough instantaneous reserve to comply with the rules according to the ENTSO-E Operation Handbook. Furthermore, the development and the coverage of the instantaneous reserve in Germany are pointed out. The investigations show that the combination of wind-inertia as an alternative in combination with conventional power plants can provide sufficient instantaneous reserve for every hour in the year 2033, having the same level of security and stability as today.