Harmonics Compliance Assessment Study - University of 天美传媒鈥� UOW

Ensuring the Quality of Australia's Renewable Energy Future

The Australian Power Quality Research Centre (APQRC) is leading an funded project which aims to provide improved methods for assessing compliance for harmonic distortion with emphasis on improving the processes for renewable energy generators. Our project partners include renewable energy generators, electricity network operators and equipment manufacturers. The project commenced in late 2022 and will conclude in mid-2025 with publication of recommendations for adoption by industry. A public workshop with over 60 attendees was held in March 2024.

Work Package 1.2 - Plant Modelling for Pre-connection Compliance Assessment
Work Package 2 - Post-connection Compliance Assessment
Work Package 3 - Assessment of Harmonic Distortion Compatibility Limits
Project Outcomes

It is clear that there is considerable uncertainty related to methods of determination and provision of the network impedance data to be used in pre-connection compliance studies. Work Package 1.1 will undertake sensitivity analysis of the methods used to determine network impedance to establish a consistent, technically robust and unambiguous framework for the provision of network impedance data.

Work Package 1.2 will undertake a sensitivity study using measurement data to investigate the impact of network operating conditions on the emissions produced by inverter-based resources. Engagement will also be undertaken with OEMs to better understand their testing processes and identify where improvements with respect to the accuracy of supplied data may be achieved.

The outcome of the work undertaken in Work Package 2 will be a prescriptive methodology for field monitoring that can be used to determine if an installation is complying with the emission limits allocated at the planning stage. Provision is made in Work Package 2 for deployment of power quality monitoring infrastructure along with a gathering of data from existing monitoring systems.

Work package 3 will undertake a broad review of the harmonic voltage planning limits in use in Australia and will include:

A review of harmonic voltage planning limits applied nationally and internationally
An extensive program of consumer and industrial equipment evaluation to assess susceptibility to harmonic voltages with emphasis on assessment of the ability of equipment to tolerate higher order harmonic voltages while continuing to operate as expected

The project outcomes will be as follows:

A pre- and post-connection harmonic compliance assessment process that is consistent, prescriptive, technically robust and fair for all stakeholders
A recommendation for harmonic voltage planning levels which are based on technically sound concepts and can be shown to be acceptable for equipment presently connected to electricity networks

The outcomes of this project will include development of proposals to facilitate changes in rules, regulations and practices that will be beneficial to both network operators and renewable energy proponents. This includes changes to regulations such as the NER and also the Australian and international standards relevant to management of harmonic compliance assessment particularly in the context of high penetration of large renewable energy generators.

Project Partners

Other Partners

Amp Power Australia
Ausgrid
Electric Power Consulting
Energy Quensland
Enerparc
Goldwind
Neoen

ONE
Powercor
Powerlink
SA PowerNetworks
SMA
TasNetworks
Transgrid

天美传媒

ARENA Project: Robust Methods for Harmonics Compliance Study

Ensuring the Quality of Australia's Renewable Energy Future

Project Partners

Other Partners