The new solution combines the two, while integrating RWE’s renewable energy assets. It can also accommodate additional units such as battery storage systems and diesel-powered backup generators. Previously, RWE had two separate control systems: one for power plants in Germany and another for the Netherlands and Belgium.
Connecting assets to VPP to manage volatility
The new SCADA system based on Siemens Spectrum Power will be used in the RWE Supply & Trading Dispatch Centre in Essen, Germany, from where RWE manages its entire European power plant fleet.
By connecting numerous small units, RWE aims to create a virtual power plant (VPP) whereby the conventional plants and pumped-storage can offset the volatile power supply of renewables. By controlling plant dispatch down to the second, operators can meet the requirements of TSO with respect to system services, grid disturbances and minimisation of balancing energy.
Automatic control in real time
The RWE control team in Essen keeps constant watch over plant dispatch and the supply/demand balance as these can deviate from projections, e.g. in the event of unusual weather conditions or major events. Up to 500 optimisation runs are performed every day, using the power plant dispatch optimisation program created inhouse by RWE experts.
The program determines the most economical use of all power plant units and machines and uses that data to create current target schedules. These are then transmitted via Optime as a target figure to the corresponding unit or machine control system of each power plant location.
“Optime gives us automatic control in real time as well as improved control performance. In addition, it allows us to better coordinate our portfolio, which consists of renewable energy plants, the existing flexibilities of our industrial customers, and conventional power stations. In view of the expansion of renewable energy, this is becoming increasingly important,” said Guido Hommelsheim, Head of Dispatch at RWE Supply & Trading.
Sabine Erlinghagen, CEO of Siemens Digital Grid pointed out the success of this project hinged on the close cooperation with RWE. By implementing new control technology for Europe’s largest trading floor, Siemens combined SCADA tools on a single platform to allow RWE coordinate generating assets in three countries and provide virtually disruption-free grid balancing system services.
“In the future, it will be possible to optimise the integration of fluctuating levels of renewables-based energy,” Ms Erlinghagen said, stressing this holistic approach to power plant management will help accelerate the energy transition in Europe and around the world.