Power system needs – How grid codes should look ahead

Grid codes are the key for the technical performance of any new installed generating plant. In order to successfully manage the transition towards a more sustainable power system (PS), the technical rules applied to all kinds of generation must be suitable still in years and decades from now. The challenge is to estimate today which technical feature will be crucial for the stable operation of the PS, in light of a generation mix that changes from centralised, relatively large power plants using synchronous generators connected to the transmission grid, towards a decentralised, mainly inverter-based generation mix, that uses volatile renewable sources. This study is based on experiences in central Europe and several countries overseas. It does not refer to one specific market but attempts to learn from the past and give qualitative ideas how the technical system needs of today and the future should be addressed in any PS. A quantitative analysis of future PS needs is what the authors wish to encourage as a next step.