GE: Why grids don’t need to rely on ‘synchronous’ generation

The world’s biggest industrial group and the largest supplier of energy machinery, GE, has said that the world no longer needs to rely on so-called ‘synchronous’ generation provided by coal and gas plants to ensure the stability and reliability of electricity grids. Relying solely on synchronous generation for everything is over, with alternatives such as inverter-linked solar performing many of the same functions and performing them more efficiently.

This is significant, particularly in Australia where a political and media debate has erupted over how much variable renewable energy such as wind and solar should be allowed into the system, and whether it will impact on reliability and grid security. The CSIRO and network owners see a future based around solar, wind and storage, with little or no synchronous generation from coal and gas. On the other hand, the fossil fuel lobby and institutions that manage the grid operations and its rules – the Australian Energy Markets Operator and the Australian Energy Markets Commission – warn of increased disruption if coal and gas plants are replaced by renewables.

Promotors of battery storage, inverter technology and other smart technologies are trying to get rules changed so they no longer favour incumbent fossil fuel generators. But the changes are being fought by the owners of gas and diesel generators, even though the principal regulator and the market operators agree that they distort the market at the expense of the consumers.

For more information on why grids don’t need to rely on ‘synchronous’ generation, see full article.


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The Global Smart Energy Federation (GSEF) is a global stakeholder organization committed to creating smarter, cleaner electrical systems around the world. GSEF is comprised of national smart grid organizations from fifteen countries and the European Union..

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