While reviewing 155 FERC ¶ 61,277 UNITED STATES OF AMERICA FEDERAL ENERGY REGULATORY COMMISSION; Order No. 827 (Issued June 16, 2016), which addresses reactive power requirements for non-synchronous generation, I couldn't help but notice that synchronous condensers were not mentioned. This seems curious, especially given their potential role in addressing the critical challenges posed by interconnecting non-synchronous (renewable) generation.
It was refreshing, however, to come across a LinkedIn post highlighting the comeback of this "old" technology—synchronous condensers—as a straightforward solution to many grid challenges arising from renewable energy integration. A leading global company is now spearheading efforts to enhance grid stability across North America, offering benefits like:
Dynamic voltage regulation
Improved fault ride-through capabilities
Strengthened remote radial connections with added short-circuit power
As someone who has worked extensively with condenser technology throughout my career, I find it fascinating to see its versatility. One must avoid transmission of reactive power since, it is always costly to transmit reactive power, secondly it must be provided at the same voltage level as load, whenever required.
Synchronous condensers, in their unique mode, can supply both leading and lagging vars directly at load centers. Their load-dependent control over vars is an essential feature of these machines, and the inherent inertia they provide supports voltage stability during system disturbances.
Simply put, a synchronous condenser can be thought of as a subunit of a larger synchronous generator located far away—providing only reactive power (vars) and effectively reducing the line length between the load and the generator. This results in improved voltage profiles and reduced losses from reactive power flow.
In contrast to static devices like SVCs, STATCOMs, or capacitor banks, the rotating nature of condensers makes them more dynamic but also requires more frequent maintenance and monitoring, depending on usage.
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