Developing the new grid control system for a successful energy transition

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MCCS: The Future of System Operations

By 2032, 50Hertz aims to integrate an annual average of 100 percent renewable energies safely into the grid and the system. The digital transformation plays a decisive role in this. For this reason, 50Hertz is developing a new grid control system for the integration of 100 percent renewables. This “brain of renewable integration” has a name: the Modular Control Centre System (MCCS).


The system of the future will be hard to handle and visibly change our way of working and thinking as TSOs. Our answer to managing increased complexity is a platform that allows flexibility, adaptability and scalability over time. Modularisation is key for fast developments and differentiated solutions. Automated processes and algorithms will support the operators of the future. Our north star is to evolve towards an “automatic pilot” equipped with all required capabilities so that operators can focus on supervising but are able to (re)take control if needed.


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Examples of future capabilities that we will need: 

  • Frequency control

    Algorithms that forecast system imbalances, not only to define the volumes and prices required to solve them, but also to execute those corrections without causing congestion. 

     
  • Voltage control

    Based on accurate forecasting of reactive consumption, optimising all actions required (for power plants, transformers, shunt reactors and capacitors, HVDC, etc.) to maintain stable voltages (N and N-1) and execute them. 
     
  • Congestion management

    Optimisation of the grid (topology and redispatching) for N and N-1 situations, from day-ahead until close to real-time redispatching.
     
  • And much more...

    Dynamic stability management, restoration, offshore network management, greater utilisation of the entire system, curative actions, and so on.
     

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MCCS Checkpoint Event 2024

We're approaching the destination: first modules are in pre-commissioning.



From a typical SCADA blackbox to MCCS

A SCADA system provides different functionalities where ONLY the vendor can adapt to new requirements or add new ones. These changes cost a lot of time and money. With MCCS, we take a look inside the box. We identify and provide all functionalities that the control centres require and structure them in an open and reusable manner for other products, use cases and customers.

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The platform approach

The platform approach

To enable maximum reuse of these functionalities, we are establishing a platform architecture. The top layer of the platform approach contains the business products – MCCS being one of them. The middle layer contains the functional platform GrASP (Grid, Asset and System Platform), which provides business-specific capabilities and functionalities and caters to different business products. The foundational layer contains the Elia Group Digital Platform (EDP), which provides infrastructure, data, service and interaction technologies that are needed to run functional platforms and business products. The benefit of the platform approach is evident: reusing functionalities and capabilities across different value chain segments and their business products reduces the time, money and resources we need to invest.


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Partner with us

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50Hertz is sharing the MCCS vision, architecture and reference solution with peers and partners in a community. This is a blueprint that enables quick responses to future requirements. Find out more about our partners and how to partner with us.

Partner with us

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