Researchers from Jordan have evaluated the performance of a battery energy storage system (BESS) using grid-forming (GFM) control to enhance stability in solar PV plants. Grid-forming controls emulate synchronous generators and provide fast frequency and voltage support during grid outages, large PV fluctuations, load changes, and fault events.
“The novelty of this research lies in the comprehensive evaluation of a GFM-BESS integrated with utility-scale solar PV plants under a wide range of operating conditions,” corresponding author Lina Alhmoud told pv magazine. “While previous studies have largely focused on either theoretical analyses or limited case studies, our work systematically investigates the capability of GFM-BESS to enhance frequency stability, voltage regulation, and system resilience during grid disturbances.”
Alhmoud said the study provides quantitative evidence that grid-forming control strategies can support the transition to inverter-dominated power systems with high renewable energy penetration. She added that follow-up research will focus on coordinated operation of multiple grid-forming resources in large-scale renewable systems, optimization of control parameters under varying grid strengths, interactions between grid-forming battery systems and other renewable technologies such as wind power and hybrid plants, and techno-economic assessments of real-world deployment.
The researchers modeled a utility-scale renewable energy system consisting of a 100 MW solar PV plant and a 35 MW / 60 MWh BESS. The PV plant was connected to a 4.16 kV distribution network via a 4.16/24.9 kV transformer, while the medium-voltage network was linked to a 230 kV transmission grid through a 24.9/230 kV transformer. The BESS was equipped with a grid-forming inverter based on a virtual synchronous machine (VSM) controller, enabling synthetic inertia, voltage regulation, and frequency support. The system also included a local three-phase load and an equivalent external grid, with grid strength varied using the short-circuit ratio (SCR).
To assess stability, the researchers simulated a range of operating scenarios, including a grid outage disconnecting the PV plant and BESS from the external grid, a 50% reduction in PV output, a 45% increase in load demand, a 100 ms temporary three-phase fault, and a permanent three-phase fault. They also varied SCR values from 0.42 to 4.5 to evaluate performance under weak- and strong-grid conditions.
“One of the most interesting findings was the significant improvement in system stability achieved with grid-forming control, particularly during severe disturbances and weak-grid conditions,” Alhmoud said. “The results demonstrated that the GFM-BESS could rapidly support frequency and voltage recovery while maintaining stable operation of the solar PV plant. The extent of the stability enhancement exceeded initial expectations, highlighting the strong potential of grid-forming technology in future renewable-rich power networks.”
According to the simulation results, during a 50% reduction in PV output, total plant power temporarily dropped from about 92–93 MW to 70–72 MW, while frequency deviation remained limited to approximately 0.8–1.0 Hz and settled within 0.5 s. Following a 45% load increase, power fell to 75–77 MW and frequency deviated by 1.3–1.5 Hz, before recovering in less than 0.4 s.
In the most severe temporary fault scenario, voltage at the point of interconnection dropped to 0.25–0.30 pu before rapidly recovering after fault clearance. Under a permanent fault, the system remained stable despite voltage falling to 0.7–0.8 pu, reactive power peaking at 45–48 MVAR, and frequency deviations of up to 2.5 Hz.
The results have appeared in “Performance evaluation of grid-forming battery energy storage systems for stability enhancement in solar PV plants,” published in Scientific Reports. Researchers from Jordan’s Yarmouk University and Al-Ahliyya Amman University have participated in the research.
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