Assessment of primary frequency control through battery energy storage systems

Abstract This article focuses on the impact of the primary frequency control that can be provided by Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESSs) on the transient response of electric grids. A procedure based on the Fourier transform is used for synthesizing a realistic frequency signal based on the variations of load consumption and generation. The impact of BESSs is evaluated with respect to the storage capacity installed and the regulation strategy adopted and then compared with the regulation provided by conventional sources. The impact of a variable-droop strategy on the dynamic response of the grid and the BESSs State of Charges (SoCs) is also evaluated. A novel index to quantify the performance of the BESSs is proposed and discussed. The case study is based on a detailed dynamic model of the all-island Irish transmission system.