Power electronics, a key technology for the renewable energy system integration

Abstract

Efficient and effective network management is the key to the integration of renewables in an efficient way that ensures cost-effectiveness and affordability, security of supply and grid stability. Real time monitoring and optimisation are necessary to increase the flexibility, through solutions such as storage, demand response or flexible generation among others, to integrate higher shares of variable renewable energy and to serve the whole of the EU territory.Exploiting synergies between electricity, heating and cooling networks, gas networks, transport infrastructure and digital infrastructure will be crucial for enabling the smart, integrated, flexible, green and sustainable operation of the relevant infrastructures. Besides hydrogen and batteries other storage technologies are necessary to create a set of flexibility options. Similarly, integration of local, small, or micro grids raises a challenge at the level of the European energy network.Using highly efficient power electronics in power generation, power transmission/distribution and end-user application, together with advanced control solutions paves the way for the transition from the conventional and fossil-based energy system to a renewables based one.Important points of consideration for this transition are flexible generation, grid flexibility (network infrastructures), system stability and flexible operations, energy storage integration, demand side flexibility, advanced planning for flexible systems, innovative market design, business models and regulatory framework, secure digitalised energy system, integrated platforms for management and control of energy assets, effective and efficient solutions for transporting off-shore energy, direct Current grid solutions.Through system and technology development, European R&I strongly supports increasing the efficiency and effectiveness of the European energy system and help integrating it with its neighbours, accelerating the transition towards renewable energy, which is the key component for the EU to reach its 2050 decarbonisation objective.