The course run by Dr Chown in conjunction with the Centre for Renewable Energy Studies provides an insight into the supply side of the power system. The focus will be on power delivery characteristics of conventional power stations, intermittent renewable power stations and utility-scale energy storage.

Economic dispatch, energy storage scheduling, load-frequency control and inter-area power flow, dynamic system stability and inertia will also be covered.

An overview of applicable network codes and regulations, and introduction to power system modelling and simulation software will be discussed.

The module has been registered with the Engineering Council of South Africa for 4 Continuous Professional Development points.

Dr Chown is contracted as the technical lead determine if KHI KG-18 gas engines can be used for load to swing application for the Bangladesh network factoring in their current grid frequency variation and the ambition to reduce the variation.  The key activities were:

1. Review international practice of using gas engines for frequency control
2. Develop a simplified network model in DigSilent to demonstrate KHI KG-18 gas engines can provide primary frequency control to Bangladesh network
3. Test KHI KG-18 gas engines at their factory in Kobe to demonstrate their frequency control capability
4. Demonstrate the ability of KH KG-18 gas engines to provide secondary frequency control in Bangladesh
5. Present findings of tests and studies to Bangladesh electricity sector in Dhaka

Ricardo South Africa is contracted to review the need for an enhanced regional energy market with a harmonized, efficient and gender- sensitive regulatory framework and with capacitated regional regulators and power pools to more effectively oversee and stimulate increased regional power trade in the EA-SA-IO region.

The assignment is broken into two work streams which are to:

1. Develop a framework for regulatory oversight of the regional energy market, that can be adopted by regional and national regulatory institutions to promote investments and power trading in the region; and
2. Design a responsive training programme for strengthening the capacity of national and regional regulatory institutions and Power Pools to proactively influence power trading and developments in the energy sector.

Chown and Associates provided regional technical regulatory issues including regional and national grid codes. Assisted with all other activities. 

Nord Pool consulting is contracted to develop a Balancing Market (BM) trading platform for SAPP in addition to the markets already in existence. The BM development is for SAPP to ensure that the system is in balance all the time also after the current SAPP Physical markets has been closed.

A three-stage approach that will be followed to deliver a BM to the SAPP. This will entail the following:

• TASK 1 – Assessment of Global BM Trading Arrangements and Options for SAPP 

• TASK 2 – Detailed Design and Development of the BM trading System

• TASK 3 – Operationalize the BM trading system.

Dr Chown assisted with Task 1 and Task 2. Chown and Associates is contracted to provide training for Task 3 operation of the BM system.

Ricardo is contracted to Part 1 and Part 2 of this study with the objective to support SAPP to prepare the interconnected system for the integration of variable renewable energy (VRE) generation in a secure, reliable and economic manner.

The project included the review and analyse gaps in current rules, regulations, infrastructure, institutional capacity and operating procedures relevant to increase VRE, which have a techno economic impact on National and Regional targets to decrease greenhouse emissions. VRE power projects in this context are specifically wind and solar PV which are resources the region is endowed with and have in recent years become economically viable alternative to traditional thermal power plants. 

Dr Chown was the System Operations Expert for Part 1 whilst he was still at Ricardo and performed the studies required for integration of renewable power plants, system operations procedures review, grid code review and institutional capacity review.

Chown and Associates is contracted to continue the role as the System Operations Expert for Part 2 where Dr Chown is contracted for 4 man-months to perform detailed interconnection frequency control studies with increasing.  The study identifies the benefits of sharing balancing and ancillary services.

Dr Chown was contracted by Transco Load Dispatch Centre (LDC) to implement changes to the Scheduling & Dispatch process, recommended by a RSB study undertaken by Poyry with Dr Chown’s assistance, to both improve the economics of dispatch and to make it robust to future generation and market developments. 

Major realizable system cost savings identified – As of October 2016, the overall implementation of recommendations in TRANSCO has resulted in an estimated fuel savings of 3-4 %.

Detailed changes implemented in this project were:

• Specification, detailed design and commissioning of new Day-ahead Security Constrained Unit Commitment (UC) tool
• Specification, detailed design and commissioning of Electronic Dispatch Logger (EDL) including automatic performance monitoring
• Tuning of AGC to improve dispatch of units on AGC
• Commissioning of new units on AGC
• Commissioning of IT interface between UC and SCADA / EMS
• Dispatch units on a unit by unit basis from day-ahead schedule
• Implementation of balancing strategy
• Development and improvement of procedures
• Specification, detailed design and commissioning of back casting tool to monitor performance
• Development of KPI’s for reporting to RSB
• Development of primary frequency response performance monitoring system
• Specification of grid code compliance testing requirements for primary frequency response.

Pacific Islands Countries of Tuvalu, Yap, Tonga, Samoa, Pohnpei, Chuuk, Marshall Islands and Kosrae have the potential to increase their renewable power plant generation subject to maintaining power security of supply and economic operating.  The tasks undertaken by Dr Chown were:

1. identify, assess, cost and benchmark suitable storage solutions for frequency support, which would facilitate the deployment of variable renewable energy sources;
2. development of grid codes for the inclusion of renewable generation facilities and suitable for a small island; and
3. assessment of power system applications such as AGC to improve frequency control and increase of renewable generation of islands.

For more details on the storage studies see Cigre Regional Conference Paper 38.