EPEC Technologies is introducing VIIVX, a new instability detection system designed and built in-house by our engineering team, for generators, in particular inverter-based systems, connecting to the Australian grid.
There’s a story behind the name too. VIIVX comes from the Roman numerals V, II, V and X, 5, 2, 5 and 10, a nod to clause S5.2.5.10 of the National Electricity Rules, the clause the system was built to help generators comply with.
The Problem We Set Out to Solve
As more wind, solar and battery storage projects connect to the grid, network service providers are placing greater scrutiny on stability, specifically on a generator’s ability to detect oscillation contribution and respond appropriately. Under the National Electricity Rules (clause S5.2.5.10), generators are required to have a system in place that can accurately identify these oscillations and distinguish them from normal grid noise. It’s a problem that’s only going to grow as the energy transition continues and inverter-based systems make up more of the grid.
It’s also a problem EPEC kept running into on projects, and one that fits a broader strategy the business has been working towards for some time: reducing the number of interfaces on a project by bringing key products and services in-house, rather than relying on external suppliers for every piece of the puzzle.
It’s all part of EPEC’s end-to-end strategy.” Simon Willis, Technical Director
Around 12 months ago, an in-house team at EPEC Group set to work: Gareth Byrne , Simon Willis , Jun Su , Jithin Rajan Thomas , @Nicolaus Van Shie, Rohan Kumar Ghanwar , Maria Denise Miranda and Marty Johnson . Between them, the team is made up of Power Systems Engineers, Product Engineers and Software Engineers, with each person taking ownership of a specific part of the product.
In plain English, VIIVX works alongside a site’s protection and SCADA systems to keep generators compliant with grid connection requirements.
VIIVX was designed, in conjunction with site protection and SCADA systems such as EPEC’s, to ensure compliance with GPS Clause S5.2.5.10 as a first step. There’s more to come.” Gareth Byrne, Head of Technologies
It continuously monitors the stability of the grid connection, using advanced algorithms to accurately detect oscillations in voltage, active power or reactive power. It’s been designed to meet multiple NSP requirements, including TransGrid, VicGrid and Powerlink, and will raise an alarm in near real time to both the plant operator and the NSP.
It’s designed to evolve as more network service providers release their own instability detection guidelines and runs on a compact controller with a web-based interface, so it integrates easily with existing site SCADA without adding unnecessary complexity for our clients or their operations teams.
As for what sets VIIVX apart from other instability detection systems on the market, what the team can say for now is that, algorithms aside, VIIVX runs on more compact hardware than the competition, and the built-in web-HMI allows for easy diagnostics and configuration without needing to call on the OEM.
Tested, Proven, and Built In-House
Before ever reaching a live site, VIIVX was developed and tested on EPEC’s Hardware-in-the-Loop (HIL) rig under a rapid prototyping pathway. The first two units have now been delivered to site and are expected to be in operation soon; a milestone the team’s proud of.
I’m very proud of the research and development effort from the team in finding new and innovative solutions to a key problem for the renewable industry.” Gareth Byrne, Head of Technologies
Simon Willis points to the automated testing solution built on EPEC’s HIL as one of the things he’s most pleased with and credits the team’s willingness to try a different approach to the problem.
Building VIIVX in-house gave EPEC more than a finished product to test, though. It draws directly on EPEC’s expertise across grid connections, commissioning and SCADA integration, capabilities built up over years of delivering high voltage substation and energy projects across the Asia Pacific region and meant the system could be shaped around the real requirements of Australian NSPs from day one, rather than adapting an off-the-shelf product to fit
What’s Next
This is only the first version of VIIVX, with more features planned as EPEC builds on what the team develops in conjunction with the wider industry. The ideal client is any generator connected to the National Electricity Market that needs instability detection at its connection point.
That’s the story behind VIIVX: a problem EPEC kept running into, solved in-house and tested thoroughly, with a name that nods to the clause it was built to satisfy.
If that sounds like your project, or you just want to understand how VIIVX could support your compliance and commissioning requirements, the EPEC Technologies team would love to hear from you.
