FARCROSS project Innovative solutions for increased regional cross-border cooperation

Innovative solutions for increased regional
cross-border cooperation in the Transmission
grid: the FARCROSS project
Anastasis Tzoumpas, Katerina Drivakou & Thanasis Bachoumis
UBITECH Energy
March 1st, 2021
ISGAN Academy webinar #27
Recorded webinars available at: https://www.iea-isgan.org/our-work/annex-8/

ISGAN in a Nutshell
Created under the auspices of:
the Implementing
Agreement for a
Co-operative
Programme on Smart
Grids
2
Strategic platform to support high-level government
knowledge transfer and action for the accelerated
development and deployment of smarter, cleaner
electricity grids around the world
International Smart Grid Action Network is
the only global government-to-
government forum on smart grids.
an initiative of the
Clean Energy
Ministerial (CEM)
Annexes
Annex 1
Global
Smart Grid
Inventory Annex 2
Smart Grid
Case
Studies
Annex 3
Benefit-
Cost
Analyses
and
Toolkits
Annex 4
Synthesis
of Insights
for
Decision
Makers
Annex 5
Smart Grid
Internation
al
Research
Facility
Network
Annex 6
Power
T&D
Systems
Annex 7
Smart Grids
Transitions
Annex 8:
ISGAN
Academy
on Smart
Grids
1/3/2021 FARCROSS - FACILITATING REGIONAL CROSS-BORDER ELECTRICITY TRANSMISSION

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Webinar objective and agenda
Objective
Present innovative solutions to address challenges and opportunities regarding cross-
border cooperation in the transmission grid, using hardware and software tools
developed and implemented in the FARCROSS project.
Agenda
• Cross-border challenges for electricity flows - Rationale behind FARCROSS.
• The FARCROSS project - Overall scope and impact.
• FARCROSS DEMOS: Early achievements and next steps.
• Conclusion – Q&A.
1/3/2021 5
FARCROSS - FACILITATING REGIONAL CROSS-BORDER ELECTRICITY TRANSMISSION

Live poll
1/3/2021 FARCROSS - FACILITATING REGIONAL CROSS-BORDER ELECTRICITY TRANSMISSION 6

Main drivers of FARCROSS project
Climate neutrality by 2050 while controlling security & costs (EU green deal)
Market integration and price convergence (market coupling)
Source: ACER Market Monitoring Report 2019 – Electricity Wholesale Markets Volume
The ultimate measure of market integration is the degree
of cross-border price harmonization. On about 50% of all
European borders, the absolute cross-border differences in
prices are higher than 5%, while on about 10 borders the
absolute price difference exceeds 10% (ACER, 2019).

Cross-border interconnections in EU
Capacity increases planned to be commissioned by 2025 (ENTSO-e)
Interconnections in the European Electricity System (ENTSO-e)

Cross-border challenges in EU region
In the Clean Energy of all Europeans Package (CEP) the lack of sufficient cross-zonal capacity as
one of the main barriers to the integration of electricity markets
Building more capacity approach:
 93GW by 2040 that is the need for additional cross-border transmission capacity in Europe identified
by ENTSO-e in the “Completing the map Power system needs in 2030 and 2040”);
Other solutions such as storage, hybrid offshore infrastructure, smart grids, Power-to-X conversion
technologies should be integrated in order to facilitate a Pan-European efficient electricity market.
Increase capacity allocation:
Capacity made available to market parties per cross-border connection to be higher than 70% of the
technical capacity, after controlling for a reliability margin to deal with loop flows and emergency
conditions (70% rule);
ACER states that the development of European rules for the calculation and allocation of cross-zonal
capacities on electricity interconnectors is an integral step in order to increase market efficiency.

Introduction of the 70% rule
As of January 1st, 2020, TSOs shall make available a minimum binding level of capacity
equal to 70% for cross-zonal trade;
Specifically, under Article 16.8 EU 2019/943 it is stated that:
 Borders using a coordinated net transmission capacity approach, the minimum capacity
shall be 70% of the transmission capacity respecting operational security limits after deduction
of contingencies;
 Borders using a flow-based approach, the minimum capacity shall be a margin set in the
capacity calculation process as available for flows induced by cross-zonal exchange. The
margin shall be 70% of the capacity respecting operational security limits of internal and cross-
zonal critical network elements, considering account contingencies.

Current status of cross-zonal trading
ACER report for the first six months of 2020 regarding the 70% target showed:
 On Direct Current (DC) borders, the 70% target was met most of the time but with a few notable exceptions;
 On Alternating Current (AC) borders, there is a very diverse picture with significant room for improvement to
meet the 70% target for most regions and borders.
Source: ACER Report on the Result of Monitoring the Margin Available for Cross-Zonal Electricity Trade in the EU in the First Semester of 2020

FARCROSS in a nutshell
FAcilitating Regional CROSS-border Electricity Transmission
through Innovation
FARCROSS aims to connect major stakeholders of the energy value chain around Europe and demonstrate
integrated hardware and software solutions that will facilitate “unlocking” of the resources for the cross-border
electricity flows and regional cooperation.
Call: LC-SC3-ES-2-2019
Duration: 48 months (Started 1/10/2019)
Budget: € 13,643,692.50
Coordinator: UBITECH
Technical Coordinator: UBITECH Energy
This project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under grant agreement No 864274

FARCROSS Objectives
Develop and introduce advance software solutions that will increase cross-border capacity and the
potential of cross-border grid services;
Design and propose a robust set of technical and market codes enabling the building up of the
harmonization of the network codes, and potentially integration to the national electricity markets;
Design and present a cost-benefit analysis (CBA), based on the outcomes and lessons learnt from
the project implementations and demonstrations, to enhance the planning of cross-border
infrastructure investments;
Demonstrate hardware and software technologies and relevant concepts in realistic environments;
the FARCROSS project engages TSOs and energy producers in 8 countries (Austria, Greece,
Bulgaria, Romania, Croatia, Hungary, Bosnia & Herzegovina, Albania);
Facilitate further research and new market opportunities across the energy industry by ensuring an
efficient dissemination of the FARCROSS outcomes to key stakeholders.

FARCROSS Impact
 Successfully integrate large amounts of renewable generation. These resources are intermittent and there are
advantages to geographic dispersion. FARCROSS proposed solutions can be used to increase cross-border
flows allowing other countries from importing clean energy and to maximize EU-wide renewable generation;
 Reduce the need to build new infrastructure by first optimizing the existing network, whereas at the same time
to achieve reduced environmental impact compared to alternative options and minimize total costs to
customers;
 Shorten connection lead-times, as FARCROSS solutions can be installed in relatively short timeframes, can
minimize the grid modifications needed to integrate new sources of generation or serve as a bridge solution.

FARCROSS Methodology

Profile of 38
participants
Respondents stressed that Investments in innovative
technologies should be encouraged/incentivised,
as well as projects and cross-border infrastructure, to
overcome the national limitations to cross-border
electricity flows.
FARCROSS Questionnaire (I)

 Cross-border cooperation
 Integration of EU electricity markets
FARCROSS Questionnaire (II)

FARCROSS Demonstrators
Demonstration countries
Demo High level Scope/ Description
A
Smart Grid Innovations to increase cross-border capacity
1
Unlocking Cross-Border Capacity with Modular Power Flow Control Solutions
(MPFC DEMO)
2
Complex grid management technology for handling cross-border transmission
line capacity-related issues (DLR-H DEMO)
3
Implementation of a Wide-Area Protection, Automation and Control system
(WAMPAC) applied to Cross-Border Transmission Systems (WAMS DEMO)
B
Regional System Operations platforms development
Pan-European Deep Modelling Framework for improved system operation
planning/forecasting and analysis on the inter-TSO level (EUROPAN DEMO)
C
Capacity allocation for regional cross-border trading
Co-optimized cross-border capacity auction algorithm (OPTIM-CAP DEMO)

A.1 Modular Power Flow Control Demo (I)
Objectives:
 Design and customise a power flow control solution for inter-TSO demonstration;
 Increase cross-border network transfer capacity;
 Reduce RES curtailment;
 Increase market coupling with modular power flow control technologies.
Outcomes:
 Studies for the MPFC implementation which will include the specification of the network needs, under-
utilized capacities and the physical deployment plan;
 Description of the MPFC deployment methodology which will include the components installation,
training of personnel, commissioning of the devices etc.;
 Analysis of the MPFC solution’s field operation which will include the increase in cross border flows, the
increase in availability capacity, the improvement in the utilization factor and the increase in the
amount of savings to the consumers.

In detail:
 SWE will deploy their patented SmartValve, a technology consists of
modular, single phase, Static Series Synchronous Compensators
(SSSC);
 This technology can increase or decrease a circuit’s reactance by
injecting a variable voltage (leading or lagging);
 By dynamically controlling line reactance:
 the overall network utilisation can be maximised;
 the operational constraints can be minimised.
 The Smart Valve devices will be deployed on a purpose designed
ground-based structure;
 The demo will take place on a high voltage circuit, so safety and proper
design are two very critical elements;
 The SmartValves will be controlled remotely from the operations center
or from the substation in which they are installed. Various means of doing
this are available including GSM telecoms, ISM secure radio and
connection to a utility’s fiber optic network.
Source: Smart Wires Inc.
A.1 Modular Power Flow Control Demo (II)

Objectives:
 Develop and integrate DLR techniques and Health Monitoring systems for
prediction of residual service life and safe operation;
 Demonstrate a complex grid management technology for surplus transfer
capacity risk of operational safety, legal authorisation process, economical
aspects;
 Identify improvements of different way of measurement of two different DLR
sensors for better utilisation of the limited cross-border capacities;
 Review both the required sensor testing protocols features and DLR and
Health Monitoring system guidelines.
Outcomes:
 Analysis of critical segments, the positioning of the sensors, procurement
details and collections of historical and weather data;
 Test result and ensure the reliability and high performance of the sensors;
 Demonstration results will be performed with geographical positioning;
 Presentation of methodologies, modelling frameworks, Big Data
approaches etc.
Installation of the LineVision and OTLM sensors by
the Greek Transmission system Operator (IPTO).
A.2 Dynamic Line Rating Demo (I)

In detail:
 DLR methods offer a real-time overhead line monitoring technique for
transmission lines;
 So real-time measurements will be executed – analysis of both weather
and conductor parameters, thus real-time and predetermined rating of the
line can be calculated;
 The first step of demo is the preparation – two locations per country
have been selected:
 Congested cross-border overhead line section;
 Bottlenecked part of the grid.
 The second step of the demo is the integration and installation (almost
completed);
 The third step is the demonstration and validation where the sensors
are installed in cross-border OHLs (Croatia, Greece, Hungary);
 The sensors will provide continuous data during the entire 2 years
period to the servers installed in the TSOs premises with weather
predictions from the National Weather Services and SCADA data from
the dispatcher centre.
Installation of the LineVision sensor by the Croatian TSO (HOPS).
IMOTOL Equipment installed on the legs of the tower for
measurement of residual stresses
A.2 Dynamic Line Rating Demo (II)

Installation of the OTLM sensor by the Austrian Transmission
system Operator (APG)
Photo of the OTLM sensor installed by the Greek Transmission
system Operator (IPTO)
Live-line installation test of the OTLM sensor in BME
High Voltage Laboratory
A.2 Dynamic Line Rating Demo (III)

A.3 Wide Area Monitoring System Demo (I)
 Objectives:
 Increase power system security in scenarios with increasing percentages
of RES;
 Identify and apply most suitable methods for identification measurement
and absorbing inter-area oscillations on border connections;
 Design, test and demonstrate the communication architecture and specific
protocols for gathering of real-time measurements;
 Develop and evaluate the WAMPAC’s performance on cross-border areas.
 Outcomes:
 Measurement techniques for intra-area oscillations and design of
automated toolboxes and simulation platform;
 Analysis and system development of the WAMPAC solution;
 WAMPAC implementation in physical device for backup protection
against short circuit protection failures and inter-area oscillation
measurement and damping control;
 Interaction with active elements in the electricity grid.
TSO Bulgaria
SCADA
EMS
SUPER PDC
- Power Oscillation Damping (POD)
- Cross-border optimization
- Backup protection
TSO Greece
SCADA
EMS
RTAC
- Backup protection
- Protocol converter
PMU devices (SEL AXION, STER PMU)
Synchronized
actuators
Measurements
(sensors)
Data exchange
over supported
RTAC protocols
IEEE
C37.118.2
IEEE
C37.118.2
IEEE
C37.118.2
Various protocols:
IEC 60870-5-104, IEC 61850, OPC,
ICCP, relation DBs (MSSQL, Oracle)
Non-synchronized
actuators
Non-PMU devices
WAMPAC Architecture

A.3 Wide Area Monitoring System Demo (II)
In detail:
 WAMPAC systems contribute to black out prevention,
increase the power flow capacity and generation output,
integration of non-conventional power generation, analysis of
power disturbance etc.;
 A wide area protection scheme is under development by the
demo , as a backup of conventional protection relays;
 The demo focuses on damp inter-area oscillations - two cross
border interconnected countries will integrate the demo and
various measurements from different zones will be obtained:
 Zones with high penetration of renewables;
 Zones with big generators such as thermal power or nuclear plants;
 Zones with significant number of loads;
 Interconnection with two transmission systems.
Locations (black dots) identified by IPTO for PMUs installation
in the context of FARCROSS project

A.3 Wide Area Monitoring System Demo (III)
 Laboratory-scaled Real-Time DEMO for testing algorithms implemented in protection and control devices
previously to its deployment
GPS Antenna installed in the roof of the building
Lab-scaled DEMO

B. EUROPAN Demo (I)
Objectives:
 Develop improved RES generation and demand response forecasting algorithms and calculation
tools;
 Introduce innovative short-term and long-term forecast engines for both RES and demand
response forecast improvement of the tools for analysis and grid operations;
 Enable new tools for cross border grid balancing services.
Outcomes:
 Technical specifications for the EUROPAN platform;
 Development of modules related to the network modelling and micro location energy analysis;
 Definition of representative scenarios demonstrating the system’s value proposition with respect to
weather forecasting, grid simulation and energy forecasting for the end users;
 Reports on the results of the demonstration performance.

B. EUROPAN Demo (II)
 In detail:
 Accurate generation forecasting is extremely important for
the energy market as inaccurate forecasts may lead to sub-
optimal schedules;
 EUROPAN demo is a tool which improves power system
and market operations, security margins, balancing,
congestion management, accurate cross border services
towards the relevant TSOs;
 The system is composed of several forecasting algorithms
and grid simulation software tools;
 TSOs are actively participating in the system specification
and evaluation, which will bring the minimum cost through
the maximum usage of the existing infrastructure;
 A novel platform is under development and will be used by all
relevant participants in our Use Case to contribute to the
testing procedure.
EUROPAN conceptual diagram

C. Co-optimized cross-border capacity
auction algorithm Demo (I)
Objectives:
 Develop a co-optimized market design for energy-reserve auctions of cross-zonal capacity with reserve
capacity products;
 Improve the calculations for transmission capacity requirements for reserve allocation;
 Develop a high-performance prototype for the co-optimised approach of auctioning the available
transmission capacity.
Outcomes:
• Pros and cons identification in existing cross border capacity calculations;
• Presentation of the market design for co-optimized energy reserve allocation in cross-border electricity
trading;
• IT design and data management process for implementing the energy reserve optimization;
• Demonstration and evaluation of the demo results.

C. Co-optimized cross-border capacity
auction algorithm Demo (II)
In detail:
 EU energy policies have as a key objective to unify the European power markets with
common rules, trading platforms and transparent market-based incentives in order to
involve the participants to optimally contribute to the electricity supply of the consumers;
 However at this stage, TSOs rely mainly on not energy trading, but ancillary services to
actively manage the power system. In this case, cross-border integration is not present at
all and prices of reserve capacity and balancing energy differs in neighbouring control
zones;
 The demo focuses on the solution for the pricing problem in the day-ahead timeframe;
 A cross-border capacity auction algorithm is under development, embracing algorithmic
research activity that has been encouraged for years from ENTSO-E experts.

Cost Benefit Analysis (CBA) framework
 Provide tangible KPIs to proportionate the pros-and-cons of “before” and “after” situations among the various
countries involved in innovation projects;
 Identify and prescribe new business opportunities for energy stakeholders in cross-border electricity trading and
smart grid technology provision;
 Enhance the efforts for regulatory harmonization by providing tangible proof of how beneficial cross-border smart
grid and trading innovations are for the secure and clean energy future of the European electricity grid;
 Enhance the portfolio of solutions for the planning of cross-border infrastructure investments.

Conclusions
Advancements from a technical and market perspective must take place to reach the 70% rule in
the AC interconnections;
37% of the survey participants think that technical infrastructure shall be upgraded to enhance
cross-border transactions;
The development of digital platforms and integrated market designs will increase efficiency in
cross-border trading;
The FARCROSS concept through its thorough methodology and demonstrator activities directly
addresses this challenges;
Stay tuned for the FARCROSS outcomes:
https://www.linkedin.com/groups/8865907/
https://twitter.com/FARCROSS_H2020
https://www.farcross.eu

Anastasis Tzoumpas, Katerina Drivakou & Thanasis Bachoumis
{atzoumpas, kdrivakou, abachoumis}@ubitech.eu
Thank you

FARCROSS project Innovative solutions for increased regional cross-border cooperation

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