East Iceland Clean Energy Connections

Landsnet applied load control schemes to the existing grid infrastructure in order to connect fish factories in East Iceland to the main grid using synchronised real-time measurements. This connection enabled the factories to replace crude oil for their energy consumption needs with renewable-sourced electricity from the main grid.  

 

Highlights:

• Transmission network constraint for eastward power flow raised by 44% when the control scheme is active
• Societal benefits (90,000 tonnes of CO2 avoided) and environmental savings (13.4m €/year for 2 weeks of active control scheme)
• More flexible use of generation resources
• Reduced customer outages after large disturbances
• Provision of fast response capabilities by relevant electricity stakeholders  

 

Scope:

The practice, initially applied to six factories distributed across 200km of the Eastern coast and a smelter in Southwest Iceland, is now part of an EU Horizon2020-funded project (MIGRATE) that aims to further pilot-test the approach and apply it throughout Iceland. Beyond Iceland, the methodology can be employed in cases where an increase of the local grid’s utilisation is needed in order to transmit more power through bottlenecks, without risking system security.  

 

Main information:

Increased environmental awareness and higher energy costs have driven fish factories in East Iceland to explore alternatives to crude oil as their main source of energy. As the transmission network in the area was already constrained, significant investments in new lines through remote, environmentally sensitive areas would have been required. To combat the negative impacts of new transmission infrastructure, Landsnet opted for applying new methods to the existing grid. By using fast synchronised wide area measurements distributed around the grid and an automated control of distribution of resources from the transmission control centre, the factories could be tripped rapidly when needed to protect the wider grid. Through these measures, the usable capacity of the existing grid was incremented, and the fish industry was allowed to replace crude oil with Iceland’s main grid renewable electricity to power their factories.  

 

Additional information:

Landsnet, Iceland’s TSO, developed the practice in collaboration with various energy stakeholders. Fisheries implementing grid-controlled load shedding capability, the TSO incorporating a new control methodology and adapting operational constraints and practices, the DSO (Rarik) planning for new connections and load switching, a vendor (GE) providing design expertise, system studies and equipment supply & configuration, and a telecommunication provider (Orkufjarskipti) with high bandwidth optical fibre network.