Guiding principles for grid code compliance of large utility scale renewable power plant intergration onto South Africa's transmission/distribution networks

Abstract

Renewable energy generation technologies with its short lead times have become an attractive alternative to assist South Africa to solve its energy crisis and hence led to the Government calling upon Independent Power Producer to enter the market. Subsequently, the Integrated Resource Plan 2010 set a target of 17 800 MW (equivalent to 42%) of new electricity generation capacity in the country to be derived from renewable energy sources. The South African Renewable Energy Grid Code was then published in 2010 to assist with safe and technical integration of these plants into the South African grid. Electricity utilities are now faced with the task to understand the code and carry out testing of these renewable power plants in order to certify them grid code compliant. This paper assists by discussing the requirements of the South African Renewable Energy Grid Code Version 2.8 with testing methods to check grid code compliance.