Control in Low-Inertia Power and Integrated Energy Systems

Driven by global efforts to mitigate the climate crisis, power systems are undergoing unprecedented changes. An important factor in this energy transition is the replacement of large-scale conventional fossil fuel-driven synchronous generators by renewable-driven inverter-based generation. This substitution entails a large reduction of the overall power system inertia, leading to faster and more volatile dynamics. Such power systems are therefore termed low-inertia power systems. In the present chapter, key properties and aspects for modeling, control and operation of this kind of future power systems are introduced, with a focus on automatic frequency control, dynamic state estimation and grid-synchronization of inverter-based resources. As moving beyond decarbonization of only the electricity sector is viewed as essential for the successful development of climate-neutral societies, the exposition is complemented by identifying current trends in integrated energy systems. These novel energy system architectures are characterized by integration of diverse energy vectors, such as electricity, heat, transportation, and (hydrogen) gas, in a holistic manner. Overall, the chapter places a control-theoretic lens on these societal-scale sustainability challenges.