Gas turbine technology |


Co. These clutches are built into a load gear as the gas turbine operates at a higher speed than the generator at 3600 rpm. The gear is needed to create synchronisation with the grid. “By enabling these LM6000s to run as synchronous condensers, TVA is ensuring it has enough inertia, system stability and reactive power support,” said Morgan Hendry, President of SSS Clutch Co. “Regulators and utilities are starting to realise the folly of retiring natural gas generation assets when they are vitally needed for peaking power and grid stability.”


Queensland


The Australian state of Queensland generates 70% of its electricity from coal today. It has unveiled plans to be 70% renewable-powered by 2032. That requires the phase out of 8.1 GW of coal while building 25 GW of large-scale wind and solar, 7 GW of rooftop solar, 3 GW of battery storage, 6 GW of pumped hydro storage (PHS), 3 GW of new gas generation and a considerable upgrade to its transmission network to create what is to be known as the Queensland SuperGrid. Government reports stress the need to support wind and solar assets with large amounts of synchronous condensing to provide system strength, grid stability and reactive power. “Australia needs strong grids to meet its 2030 decarbonisation goals,” said Darren John Garwood, Head of Field Sales Pacific Region, Siemens Energy Gas Services Australia. “Ratch-Australia Corp’s Townsville power station will contribute to grid stability by converting its gas turbine and generator to a hybrid rotating grid stabiliser (RGS). It can instantly switch from power generation to grid stabilisation mode, preventing potential blackouts.” The northern town of Townsville lies at the heart of much of the work. Stronger transmission lines are being installed. A 750 km, 500 kV line will connect it to a new PHS facility and other energy assets to the south. Another 370 km, 500 kV line will connect to the Hughenden wind and solar complex to the west.


Inlet duct Gas turbine Generator SSS clutch


The proposed Queensland SuperGrid. Image: courtesy of government of Queensland


Cairns


North West Minerals Province


Mt Isa Hughenden


Pioneer-Burdekin Pumped Hydro


Longreach


Rockhampton Gladstone


Bundaberg


Borumba Pumped Hydro


Roma Toowoomba


Sunshine Coast Brisbane


Townsville


Abbott Point Mackay


Proposed backbone transmission North West Minerals Province connection Queensland Renewable Energy Zone regions


New pumped hydro energy storage Hydrogen hubs


Pumped hydro and hydroelectric Solar project Wind project Battery project


System strength is a major concern. The Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA) published a report highlighting requirements for system strength and inertia services to manage


power system security, in which it said: “Retirement of fossil-fuel generation, particularly large coal-fired power stations, is projected to reduce both system strength and inertia. The international energy transition and adoption of more inverter-based renewable generation is driving international demand for large synchronous condensers (SCs). One possible solution is to convert existing fossil- fueled generators, which are synchronous machines, into SCs. At face value, this should provide a cost-effective way of providing the required security services.”


Tapered GT air intake design


As a result, the Australian Energy Market Operator (AEMO) requires grid operators like Powerlink to provide a minimum fault level, procure system strength and add inertia as part of any transmission modernisation efforts. System strength ensures the power system can maintain a stable voltage waveform, even after a disturbance. Inertia allows the power system to resist large changes in frequency arising from an imbalance in supply and demand after a disturbance.


Conversion of the Siemens Energy SGT5-2000E gas turbine entails mainly the installation of a clutch between the gas turbine and its generator to create what is termed a hybrid rotating grid stabiliser or RGS. Image courtesy Siemens Energy


28 | November/December 2024| www.modernpowersystems.com


Under the new framework, parties that submit an application to connect must choose to: Remediate their system strength impact. Or pay for their use of system strength resources procured by the grid operator.


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