This project aims to investigate how effective and reliable new Protection and Control equipment is on a future electricity network, which has even more renewable generation and power electronic equipment, via a combination of network simulation and open-loop device trials.
It is also the aspiration to determine new tests and validation processes for the Protection and Control equipment, in the future transmission system environment of low fault currents. Research would also be conducted into the shape and structure of new Protection and Control operating processes and protocols to help accommodate the transition of the network towards net-zero.

Benefits

The scope of this project is to simulate a future electrical network where the fault current spike is marginal but prolonged and evaluate how present P&C products function and respond. Based upon the findings it will determine if a P&C solution can be further developed to address the future network issue.

The present mitigation measure for areas of the network that may be exposed to lower levels of fault current presently being investigated is a device called a Synchronous Condenser. A Synchronous Condenser can replicate a traditional fossil fuel power source and in the event of a fault it will respond with a very large, sudden, single bolt of current. A Synchronous Condenser also has associated challenges which need to be addressed before it could be used on the transmission system but it is estimated that such a device to install would be £15million.

This project is addressing the challenges associated with areas of the network that may be exposed to lower levels of fault current via P&C products, which are more commonly procured and installed for around £200k. If this project can evidence that P&C products have the potential to be developed, build a simulation that can test future P&C products in a lower level fault current environment and identify the changes that need to be made to existing P&C policies and procedures then this starts to open up an alternative solution to a Synchronous Condenser at a fraction of the cost.