Active Network Management for All : ANM4L a collaborative research project

Developments of the power system are driven by the need to decrease the environmental footprint, to meet international climate goals, pushing for fossil‐free energy system. The transition towards clean energy will require power systems to adapt on a global scale with significant investments needed in fossil‐free electricity generation and transport. Renewable Energy Sources (RES) play an increasingly important role in the power system and may become the dominant sources of electricity. Significant RES are integrated in distribution grids globally, resulting in an increased need for distribution grids to perform new and complex tasks necessary for continued grid stability. The rapidity of small‐scale investments calls for agile, alternative grid development solutions. This agility is furthermore necessary to meet challenges arising from demand scenarios encompassing intermittent renewables along with electrification of transport and heat sectors. New technologies and markets are emerging to provide flexibility in consumption, generation, and power transfer capacity. Active Network Management (ANM) solutions provides alternative methods for planning and operation of the power system, through monitoring and control of multiple grid assets. This paper presents an overview of the ongoing project ANM4L, where a toolbox will be developed to support operation and planning of distribution grids. The project ANM4L (Active network management for all - anm4l.eu), will develop and demonstrate innovative ANM solutions for increasing integration of distributed generation in electricity distribution systems. ANM solutions will consider management of active and reactive power to avoid overload situations and maintain voltage limits. The goal is to decrease the need of curtailment of renewable energy, theoretically enabling further integration of distributed generation potentially even above the current design limitations of the electricity network. Core research and development activities of the ANM4L project include development of: ANM methods for local energy systems. Economic considerations to provide decision support. A toolbox to support the planning and operation. The toolbox, methods and business models for ANM will be demonstrated in real life distribution grids in both Sweden and Hungary. Furthermore, the project will consider the replicability and scalability necessary for these ANM solutions to be applied across the EU. Coordinated by RISE Research Institutes of Sweden, the ANM4L project is an international cooperation with a consortium consisting of partners in Sweden, Germany and Hungary: Municipality of Borgholm, Lund University, E.ON Energidistribution AB, RWTH Aachen University, Lumenaza GmbH, E.ON Solutions GmbH, and E.ON Észak-dunántúli Áramhálózati Zrt.