FERC issues new grid reliability guidelines for inverter-based resources
Energy Storage

FERC issues new grid reliability guidelines for inverter-based resources

The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) has directed new reliability standards to protect the grid as the nation makes the transition to expanded use of clean energy technologies.

The rule is meant to help ensure the reliability of the grid by accommodating the rapid integration of new power generation technologies, known as inverter-based resources (IBRs), that include solar photovoltaic, wind, fuel cell, and battery storage resources and comprise a significant portion of new generating capacity projected to come online over the next decade.

Energy Storage Deployments is one of nine conference tracks that make up the technical conference program at POWERGEN International, to be held Jan. 23-25, 2024 in New Orleans, Louisiana. See the full agenda and more details here.

The final rule directs the North American Electric Reliability Corporation (NERC) to develop a suite of new or modified reliability standards that comprehensively address IBR data sharing, model validation, planning and operational studies, and performance requirements.

NERC must file the new or revised standards in tranches, with each tranche due no later than November 4 of each of the next three years. NERC also has 90 days to submit to the Commission an informational filing that includes a detailed, comprehensive standards development and implementation plan.

These IBRs use power electronic devices to change the direct current power produced by generators into alternating current power that is then transmitted on the bulk electric system. In certain cases, these resources respond to grid disturbances differently from traditional generation resources such as hydropower, nuclear, coal or natural gas plants. Most mandatory reliability standards were developed for traditional generation resources, so today’s final rule is meant to ensure IBRs support reliability in the same manner as traditional generation resources.

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