Italien Trials of Fast Dynamics
Location
Throughout Italy
Local situation
Maintaining the voltage profile within the acceptable limits under all loading conditions has always been one of the main objectives in a distribution system and the main indicator of the quality of the electric power that is delivered to the end users. The penetration of the DERs and the increase of the electrical consumption (heat pumps, EVs) is starting to have an impact which is significant enough to change the basic premise upon which the traditional voltage control relies – the presumption that the voltage will drop when moving downstream from the substation transformer. Moreover, Unareti in the Strategic Development Plan has set the objectives to reach in terms of decarbonisation, service quality, resilience, sustainability, network development.
What is the edgeFlex focus in this trial?
The trial will give the possibility to improve the grid observability thanks to the edgePMU deployment, test the functioning of the edgeFlex platform with different communication vectors and validate in real electrical grid the fast reserves services.
Main objectives
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- Deploying edgePMUs for advance grid monitoring
- Demonstrate edgeFLEX fast dynamic services in real electrical grid scenarios
- Validate the edgeFLEX Platform in trials with differing communications and hosting capabilities
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Interview with a representative of the management from the pilot site responsible partner
Alessandro Cirocco
Smart Grid Engineer- Unareti’s Technological Development Group
Can you please give me a short one sentence statement describing the benefit of the trial for the society?
If the trial is positive, then we have shown the benefit of using edgePMUs in distribution networks and their adaptability to different types of installation and, therefore, different communication vectors. Moreover, it will be possible to increase the quality of service and improve both the long term and operational planning of the distribution network.
Which special focus of edgeFLEX persuaded you to become a partner of the project?
Unareti is always seeking for the possibility of improving the resilience and quality of service of the distribution network. For this reason, we immediately accepted the possibility of being a pilot site to test the edgePMU innovative technology.
What will be the expected benefits for your company?
This test represents an added value to be able to respond to the new challenges that the DSO has to face. Unareti is developing an integrated solution that manages the voltages, reactive and active power flows in the distribution network. In order to determine the optimal strategy, it is necessary to increase the observability of the network. With this in mind edgeFlex project represents a great opportunity for us to test solutions (both HW and SW) useful to achieve the objectives that Unareti has set itself.