With the ongoing decentralisation of power generation systems, including combined heat and power (CHP), photovoltaic (PV) and wind, decentralised systems are becoming more important in the power generation industry.
New legal requirements on feeding this decentrally produced electricity into the electrical power grid took effect on January 1 2013. These requirements are described in the guideline ‘generating plants connected to the medium-voltage network’ (BDEW Technical Guideline, issued June 2008, with a fourth amendment taking effect January 1 2013). According to this medium-voltage guideline, CHP systems must be part of the static and dynamic grid support system, just like wind, hydro and photovoltaic systems.
Dynamic grid support places particularly high technical demands on the gensets. The main addition to the guideline is the ability of CHP systems to remain on the grid in the event of voltage dips of up to 30%, and to perform a (fault ride-through) FRT. FRT suitability must be verified by a certifying organisation. Certification will be required from January 1 2014. The required uniform certification of all MWM gensets will be available by this effective date.
MWM began initial tests on the new requirements applying to CHP plants in 2010, in order to obtain knowledge and experience on FRT behaviour.
As a result, MWM systems already meet the strictest requirements for connection to the grid. For example, new generators featuring a more rugged design and digital voltage controllers as standard equipment have been introduced on all gensets equipped with low-voltage generators. Gensets equipped with medium-voltage generators already have the required characteristics. For all CHP plants to be used in Germany, MWM has now added a synchronisation and protection unit to the standard configuration.
MWM is a brand of Caterpillar Energy Solutions GmbH, a well-established company based in Mannheim, Germany. The company, formerly known as MWM GmbH, was founded by car inventor Carl Benz in 1871 and has belonged to Caterpillar Inc. since November 2011. With MWM, we are one of the world’s leading suppliers of highly efficient, eco-friendly complete systems for decentralised energy production with gas engines (CHP).