GUIDE Power Quality How to identify the hidden issues that affect utility performance and customer satisfaction - Powerside
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GUIDE
Power Quality
How to identify the hidden issues that affect utility
performance and customer satisfaction
Brought to you by
© 2020 Microgrid Knowledge
Power Quality
Thesis
Contents The modern electric grid or, more properly, the modernizing electric grid
Thesis...........................................2 is putting utilities at risk of losing control of their distribution networks.
Introduction................................2
As new technologies proliferate, they raise the potential for adverse
Significance.................................3
Implications.................................4 effects on power quality, jeopardizing equipment and performance.
Solutions .....................................4 Without visibility into power quality at the end of the grid, utilities are
Implementing a Solution............5 blind to issues that can affect performance, customer satisfaction and,
ultimately, revenues.
Introduction
There was a time, not too long
ago, when electric power was
simple. It was supplied by the
local utility through an exclusive
The U.S. Department franchise agreement between
utilities and regulators. It was sold
of Energy (DOE), in its in kilowatt hours and paid for at
2020 Annual Energy regulated rates, and consumers
had little or no say in choosing
Outlook, projected their service provider or the
that the share of services they purchased.
Times have changed. Today,
electricity generation a growing number of utility customers,
DOE’s projections, going from 14% of
from renewable from households to manufacturers,
total renewable generation in 2019 to
have an array of options that did not
sources will double exist in the past, from rooftop solar
46% by 2050.
from 19% in 2019 to panels and sophisticated demand The growth of renewable energy
response programs to battery energy sources, including distributed energy
38% by 2050, edging storage systems (BESS) and a variety of resources (DERs), along with more
out generation fueled rate plans. The result is that utilities are electric vehicles (EVs), the proliferation
increasingly faced with customers who of battery energy storage systems,
by natural gas, which have choices, who are well informed, and advanced microgrids means
the federal agency and who are eager for change. that utility customers are no longer
passive. In addition to seeking change,
projects will account The shift is evident in the changing
nature of the electric power grid.
they are taking a more active role in
for 36% of total The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE),
managing their energy consumption.
in its 2020 Annual Energy Outlook, The growing array of options is also
generation. projected that the share of electricity changing a grid that was built around
generation from renewable sources the idea of one-way energy flows, from
will double from 19% in 2019 to 38% central station to customer. Often, that
by 2050, edging out generation fueled is no longer the case. Utilities are now
by natural gas, which the federal faced with customers who actively
agency projects will account for 36% produce their own power and who are
of total generation. Solar power will using the grid in new ways, whether it
account for most of that renewable is to charge an EV or to store energy to
energy growth, according to the offset their load (and demand charges).
© 2020 Microgrid Knowledge 2Power Quality
In either case, utilities must still
maintain grid stability and reliability
Significance
as well as manage the grid for the While the modern grid holds benefits sag or swell can be a damaged voltage
benefit of all customers. for both utilities and customers, these regulator or even the intermittent
For utilities, the potentially benefits do come at a cost in terms generation from solar power sources.
destabilizing effects of new of power quality.
Spike in voltage
technologies such as DERs, EVs Low inertia Another power quality issue is
and BESS can cause a variety of Renewable energy resources that lack a transient, or spike, in voltage.
problems, but it is difficult to diagnose the rotating components of traditional Transients are similar to swells, but
and remedy a problem if little is turbines have low inertia. As a result, they are shorter in duration. Transients
known about it. That, unfortunately, system controllers have less reaction can damage equipment, particularly
is the situation in which many utilities time to balance disturbances in computers and related technology
find themselves today. supply and demand, and frequency and control devices. Transients can be
With little or no visibility into what is fluctuations on the system can be the result of a lightning strike or of the
happening on the customer side of much higher. In Texas, where wind cycling of heavy-load motors.
the transformer or substation, utilities power contributes about 20% of
the generation mix, the state’s grid Harmonic distortion
have little knowledge of conditions
that can affect their customers. operator is seeking solutions to ensure A third category of power quality
Without data, utilities are forced to there is sufficient inertia on its system. issues is harmonic distortion.
operate in the dark. Sometimes known as “dirty power,”
Dirty power harmonics are distortions in the
Gathering data about power quality Another innovation, modern energy sine wave form of a power source.
at the customer end of the distribution efficient equipment, can also lead A common cause of harmonic
system is the first step toward to problems, namely, “dirty power” distortion is interference from nonlinear
understanding and resolving these that can result in flickering lights, loads that convert alternating current
issues. Power quality data can be used equipment damage and tripped to direct current, such as computer
for a variety of purposes, but two stand breakers. There is also the basic fact equipment and devices.
out for their importance and impact. that the electric power network is
becoming more complex with new, Power factor
and often sudden, flow patterns. A fourth power quality issue is power
Power Quality Data Uses One example is the “duck curve” factor, which is the ratio of real power
Power quality data can in California that occurs when solar to apparent power. A poor power
explain or point to causes, power fades in the evening, creating factor, a ratio or value of less than
or potential causes, of a sudden need for fast-ramping power. one, can result in an inefficient power
issues that previously were There is also the prospect that electric delivery system and, in some cases,
inexplicable. Knowledge of vehicles will create new load patterns extra charges for an electric customer.
those issues and their causes as EV owners plug in their vehicles to
Adverse effects
can be used to improve charge in the evening peak hours.
relations with customers, Degradations of power quality
helping to retain existing Sag and swell can create many adverse effects,
customers or even to recruit Degradation of power quality can including equipment failure, data
new customers. manifest in many ways. Among the errors, corrupted software and
major power quality issues are sag overheating of electric systems.
Detailed knowledge of and swell, that is, a deviation above Any of these problems can result
conditions on the grid can also (swell) or below (sag) from nominal in lost productivity and customer
supply the data that provides designated voltage. Voltage can swell dissatisfaction. A study sponsored
the rationale for capital when a large load is suddenly shut by the Electric Power Research
programs aimed at improving off. Voltage can sag because of a short Institute found that power quality
network performance. circuit, an overload situation or when disturbances cost the U.S. economy
a large motor starts. Other causes of $6.7 billion per year.
© 2020 Microgrid Knowledge 3Power Quality
Implications Solutions
With unprecedented changes The first step in resolving problems, Power quality data not only provides
occurring at the customer end of the whether they are with customer issues a potential solution to customer
distribution grid, there is the potential or with utility performance, is having complaints, but it also offers a
for an increase in power quality detailed and specific knowledge about methodology for addressing customer
issues. These issues can have a direct the problems. The best way to do that issues. Going forward, a utility’s
impact on utility performance and is to collect data about power quality. ability to monitor power quality
on utility customers. at the customer end of the grid on
At the customer end of the electric With visibility into a consistent basis demonstrates
a utility’s commitment to customer
grid, a customer can experience what is going on at the service and a transparent approach
automatic resets of equipment,
data errors, memory losses and even end of its distribution to problem resolution. Both of these
factors can help retain and, in some
equipment failure. And the importance lines, a utility can cases, recruit customers.
of high-quality electric power for utility
customers is growing as the economy understand the true On the utility side of the meter,
becomes more dependent on digital capacities of its the ability to monitor and analyze
power quality data leads to improved
circuitry, which is increasingly
sensitive to changes in power supply. circuits. This presents visibility into the distribution network.
With visibility into what is going
For some equipment, a sag or swell
in voltage can be as damaging as
the opportunity to on at the end of its distribution
an outage. optimize line capacity lines, a utility can understand the
true capacities of its circuits. This
Imagine a customer with a pumping without requiring an presents the opportunity to optimize
station that is experiencing frequent
breaker trips. Concerned about a
expensive rebuild. line capacity without requiring an
expensive rebuild. Optimizing existing
loss of productivity and the possibility In situations such as the pumping equipment can improve performance
of damaged equipment: station example, the benefits of good as well as save resources and build
1. The customer checks his equipment data become apparent. Sustained trust with regulators.
and finds no problem. voltage sags and swells can cause
On the other side of that equation,
2. The customer then contacts the equipment, particularly sensitive
data on power quality can provide
utility power provider. equipment, to trip offline. Without
evidence of issues that need to
3. The utility runs a check and reports proper monitoring, however, the cause
be addressed. Armed with data
back that there is no problem of the trip would remain unknown.
and analysis, a utility can present
on its distribution network at On the customer side, data on power regulators with sufficient evidence
its substation. quality can pinpoint the problem to warrant capital expenditures for
4. The assumption at that point is and provide unambiguous analysis improvements that will increase
that the problem is on the other that can narrow the search for root reliability and resilience as well as
side. Each party sees the fault on causes, whether it is faulty wiring or power quality.
the other side of the meter. a malfunctioning control system.
In reality, 80% of power quality issues With shared data and analysis, the
originate on the customer side of the utility and the customer have a
meter, but neither party can prove it. common platform from which to craft
It is an impasse without a solution. a mutually agreed upon recovery and
Most utilities would be eager to mitigation plan. And the ability to
solve the problem if they have the identify a problem and its solution,
capability, but without data, they are in turn, leads to a quicker resolution
blind to the cause of the problem. of the problem.
© 2020 Microgrid Knowledge 4Power Quality
Implementing a Solution
Any solution to power quality issues
begins with knowledge, and data
PQube 3’s report capabilities are also fully
provides that knowledge. With customizable and support the Information
visibility, power quality issues
can change from problems into
Technology Industry Council (ITIC) curve functions
opportunities. and the Institute of Electrical and Electronics
For a utility, the first step would be an Engineers (IEEE) 519 protocols.
investment in a power quality analyzer.
The PQube 3e from Powerside is one The PQube 3e also provides a robust providing up to one-eighth the cost
such option. It monitors a full spectrum platform for reports with the capability per monitored circuit compared
of power quality metrics, such as to automatically push event waveform with competitors. For instance, one
harmonics, including supra-harmonics reports to email without additional substation connected to 12 meters
(2-150 kHz), as well as accepting software, enabling fast analysis and would require three PQube 3es but
analog inputs. corrective action planning. PQube 3e’s would require one of a competitor’s
With options for either screen choice report capabilities are also fully power monitoring devices for
or preprogrammed installation customizable and support the each meter.
options, the PQube 3e makes Information Technology Industry
The combination of ease of
deployment easy. In addition, it Council (ITIC) curve functions and the
installation, a wide range of protocol
requires no software, only a network Institute of Electrical and Electronics
support, sophisticated report
connection, which speeds installation Engineers (IEEE) 519 protocols.
capabilities and high value makes
and makes for seamless integration, The PQube 3e also is cost competitive PQube 3e an essential tool for
with support for several widely used against other brands of power any utility interested in improving
data exchange protocols (SNMP, DNP analyzers. A single PQube 3e is capable grid performance while enhancing
3.0, Modbus, email, BACnet). of monitoring up to four circuits, customer satisfaction and retention.
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