Balancing supply and demand with DERMS

Inconsistent power delivery is a more significant problem in renewable energy applications, where natural changes in elements like wind and sunlight can be unpredictable. A DERMS is one way to control these sources and minimize the impact of this inconsistency on power grids and energy use and sales.

Let's imagine a grid that incorporates several different renewable generation sources, including a hydroelectric plant and a wind farm, both of which are in different geographical regions.

Unlike hydroelectric plants, in which power can be better managed, wind farms often struggle to manage unpredictable surges in power. For instance, when high wind speeds occur, there is no method to limit the power generated and nowhere to store excess energy. This operation is particularly common for wind farms, as much of their generation occurs at night, when energy demand is low.

When these surges in power occur, they risk causing outages and blackouts on the grid due to unprecedented surges of energy that overwhelm the system. To avoid this problem, energy is more likely to be directed away from the grid. Therefore, the energy is wasted.

With control over the entire distributed grid, operators could use a DERMS to better manage this unprecedented power surge. In this example, reducing the energy supply from the hydroelectric plant by shutting off one area of the dam could be effective. This would allow for the surge in power from wind to be fed safely into the grid, without causing a sudden outage.

However, DERMS must incorporate various other systems to allow this level of management. This includes Distribution Management Systems (DMS), Outage Management Systems (OMS) and Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) systems. By combining these technologies under one umbrella, operators are provided with complete visibility of the power picture and the insight to make necessary decisions. That said, achieving this complicated architecture is not always simple.

With various systems in place to account for a wide range of energy generators or storage devices, ensuring all systems can talk to each other is a common industry struggle. This is particularly difficult due to the huge range of protocols used for individual systems in the energy industry.

For this communication to be possible, utility providers must choose an independent software system. An independent system is not locked in to specific protocols or devices and allows you to obtain a top-down view of the energy landscape. Using individual systems for each energy source can add more points of confusion and inefficiency. Independent DERMS integrate the many different systems and devices in play and provide necessary visualization for a complex connection of otherwise unlinked equipment.

Another useful component of these centralized systems is the ability to merge information from these systems into one report or visualization for whole-picture analysis.