Reliability of distributed energy facilities

Abstract

The reason for the appearance of the first distributed generation in Russia was the high requirements to the reliability of power supply to power consumers of a special group of the first category of reliability. Diesel generating units were used to ensure uninterrupted operation. High costs for technological connection of consumers of the 1st and 2nd categories of reliability have strengthened the tendency to install a backup energy source in the enterprises' own power supply systems. However, setting reserves leads to a decrease in economic efficiency. There are additional costs for maintaining the reserve in a working condition. As a result, enterprises transfer the backup units to the mode of the main power source, and that of the backup function to the centralized power supply system. The creation of such industrial MiniGrid operating in a mode without power supply to the grid increases the cost of electricity for other consumers. Besides, with the departure of industrial enterprises from the centralized power supply, the share of communal and non-industrial consumers is growing. This requires an increase in the manoeuvrability of energy sources. The creation of balanced Energy Cells for energy supply to the population and small and medium-sized businesses that provide services to the population is not accompanied by the negative effects indicated above. In Russia, there are isolated examples of such systems, similarly operating in a mode without supplying power to the grid. Changes are needed to allow active consumers to supply excess capacity to the grid during peak hours in the UES of Russia, for which the grid companies need to be allowed to operate at least in a mode without supplying power to the grid, which will not lead to a decrease in grid companies' revenues from electricity transmission services. The introduction of these changes does not only lead not only to an increase in the reliability of power supply but also to an increase in the economic efficiency of the UES, which will reduce the price of electricity.