Is your renewable energy plant performing as expected? See it in real time

The solution developed by CIRCE combines synchrophasor measurements, advanced analytics and real-time processing to identify deviations in dynamic behaviour and anticipate potential operational issues.

The large-scale integration of renewable energy is changing the way the power system operates. The growing presence of power electronics-based technologies means that aspects such as stability, control system response and behaviour during disturbances are becoming increasingly important in plant operation.

At the same time, technical and regulatory requirements are becoming more demanding. Grid-connected assets must respond according to specific requirements when faced with frequency variations, voltage disturbances and other electrical events.

The challenge is that many of these phenomena occur over very short timescales and are not always visible through conventional monitoring systems.

A plant may be generating power and yet fail to deliver the required or expected dynamic response when a grid disturbance occurs.

The question, therefore, is no longer simply whether the plant is generating power. It is whether we really know how it responds under the different conditions that can occur on the grid.

What really happens when an electrical event occurs?

Under the different conditions that can arise on the grid, a renewable energy plant must respond in accordance with specific technical requirements.

The ability to ride through voltage dips, regulate active and reactive power, maintain stability and recover within the required timeframes are all key to ensuring the safe integration of renewable generation.

This is precisely why compliance with grid codes is becoming increasingly important in the development and operation of renewable energy, self-consumption and energy storage projects.

However, demonstrating compliance through a study or certification process and understanding how an installation is actually responding during operation are two different things.

The latter requires sufficiently accurate and fast data to observe the asset's dynamic behaviour. And this is where one of the main limitations of conventional monitoring becomes apparent.

The limits of conventional monitoring

Conventional monitoring systems provide access to a wide range of operational variables and deliver essential information for managing a plant. But some electrical phenomena can develop in less than a second.

Oscillations, frequency deviations or abnormal control system responses can go unnoticed if the temporal resolution of the data is not high enough to capture them.

When that happens, the problem is not a lack of data.

The problem is not having the right data, at the right resolution, at the moment when action can still be taken.

This can lead to a largely reactive approach: an incident occurs, the available data is collected and, afterwards, teams try to reconstruct what happened.

The next step is to reverse that logic.

From analysing incidents to monitoring dynamic behaviour

With this goal in mind, CIRCE has developed a technological solution designed to monitor and assess the dynamic behaviour of grid-connected renewable energy plants in real time.

The platform uses synchrophasor measurements from Phasor Measurement Units (PMUs) taken at the plant's point of connection. These measurements provide synchronised, high-resolution data on critical electrical variables.

In addition to continuously processing parameters such as voltage, current, frequency and power flows, the solution derives values such as short-circuit power and inertia, detects oscillations and, together with the setpoints received from the system operator, can analyse the plant's dynamic response under these conditions.

This approach makes it possible to observe aspects related to system stability, control system response, electrical oscillations, behaviour during disturbances, recovery times and parameters associated with regulatory compliance.

The difference is not simply about monitoring more variables. It is about turning high-resolution electrical data into actionable insight for operation and maintenance.

Detecting deviations before they become incidents

Many operational problems do not arise suddenly. Before becoming an incident, they may appear as small deviations in dynamic response, oscillations or behaviours that begin to move outside expected ranges.

The solution incorporates algorithms that continuously analyse these responses and generate alerts when deviations from established parameters are detected.

This gives operators objective information to investigate the cause of the behaviour and take action before the problem has a greater impact on the installation.

In addition, the ability to capture phenomena occurring in less than a second makes it possible to analyse fast events that may go unnoticed in lower-resolution monitoring systems.

The aim is not simply to understand what happened after an incident, but to have the information needed to anticipate it.

From point-in-time compliance to continuous monitoring

Grid codes establish requirements governing how installations connected to the power system must behave. Studies and certification processes make it possible to demonstrate that an installation meets those requirements under defined conditions.

In fact, recent changes to Spain's NTS regulations have expanded the number of installations required to demonstrate grid-code compliance, including new scenarios involving self-consumption and energy storage.

In addition to continuously processing parameters such as voltage, current, frequency and power flows, CIRCE's solution derives values such as short-circuit power and inertia, detects oscillations and, together with the setpoints received from the system operator, can analyse the plant's dynamic behaviour under these conditions.

Alongside verification and certification processes, advanced monitoring opens up an additional possibility: continuously observing how the asset behaves under real operating conditions.

An architecture designed to process data where events occur

Capturing high-resolution information is only part of the challenge. For that information to be useful, it also needs to be processed quickly.

The solution has been designed around an architecture based on edge computing and function virtualisation, bringing data processing closer to where the data is generated.

This approach reduces dependence on external processing and enables events to be analysed with low latency.

Decoupling software from specific hardware also makes the solution more scalable and easier to adapt to different plant configurations.

By combining synchrophasor measurements, edge processing and advanced analytics, the solution can transform large volumes of electrical data into useful indicators for understanding asset behaviour.

More data does not necessarily mean better operation

The digitalisation of renewable energy plants is dramatically increasing the amount of information available. But having more data does not, on its own, solve operational challenges.

The real value comes when that data can answer specific questions:

• Did the plant respond correctly to a disturbance?
• Are there oscillations that need to be investigated?
• Are the control systems operating within the expected parameters?
• Is there any deviation that could indicate an emerging problem?

Answering these questions turns monitoring into a decision-making tool, rather than simply a means of recording data.

Towards more preventive operation of renewable energy assets

The energy transition is not simply about installing more renewable capacity. It also requires ensuring that these installations can be safely and reliably integrated into an increasingly complex power system.

In this context, knowing how much electricity a plant is generating is no longer enough to manage it effectively. We also need to understand how it responds.

At CIRCE, we work on the analysis of the dynamic behaviour of electrical installations, grid-code compliance, advanced simulation and control system validation. This solution brings those capabilities into the operational environment, providing continuous insight into the real-world behaviour of renewable energy assets.

Do you operate a wind, solar PV or hybrid plant and need greater insight into how it responds to grid events?

Contact the CIRCE team to explore how advanced monitoring can help you better understand the dynamic behaviour of your installation.