Enhancing the Stability of an Isolated Electric Grid by the Utilization of Energy Storage Systems: A Case Study on the Rafha Grid

Abstract

A system’s stability is affected by the generation types in the interconnected power system. For example, synchronous generators usually have high inertia sharing with the power system since they have rotating mass, and they usually have primary frequency response capability. On the other hand, renewable energy sources (RES) neither provide inertia to the system nor have a primary frequency response capability; hence, adding RES will impact the power system’s voltage, angle, and frequency stability. Battery energy storage systems (BESSs) have many applications in the future electric grid. From the stability perspective, BESSs can be used to increase the power system’s stability. A case study was conducted on the Rafha microgrid in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) to inspect a BESS’s influence on the Rafha microgrid’s stability and the impact of changing the BESS’s location, which might cause changes in the system stability after contingencies. In addition, we investigated which dynamic stability is affected if the BESS’s capacity changes. The microgrid is tested using contingencies that affect the system’s frequency, angle, and voltage stability using the power system simulator for engineering (PSS/E) software as a simulation platform. Finally, we investigated the technical impact of utilizing a BESS and its influence on economic operation.