Solutions for national energy system security in the transition to renewable energy

Virgiliu Ivan, Director of Transelectrica's UNO-DENspoke at the conference Solar Energy Bucharest Summit on the challenges facing the security of the national energy system during the transition to renewable energy.

''The challenges are very great in this period of transition, of integration of renewable energies into the Energy System. The plan is to integrate another 10,000 MW of renewables by 2030. With this integration, in addition to the concerns that we all know, namely the development of the electricity transmission grid through the investment plans that we have, there is a big challenge of operating the national energy system safely. This aspect is less well known, but it is a concern for us and Transelectrica is taking it very seriously'', said Virgiliu Ivan.

Production-consumption balance, the key to operating the energy system

Maintaining an optimal production-consumption balance is essential, as any fluctuation could jeopardise the functioning of the energy system at regional or even European level. The solution to this problem is investment in storage capacity.

''A basic principle in the operation of the system is the permanent balancing of production with electricity consumption. We have this obligation at the level of the European energy system and we must always have the methods, means and resources to achieve this balance. An imbalance can lead not only to commercial damage to the operator or market participants, but can jeopardise the functioning of the system at regional or even European level. That is why we need to treat energy storage with particular care during this period. We are discussing and have been discussing storage for many years. This is the moment when we, operators, investors, but also with the support of the authorities, should treat this component very seriously, because storage is the key to the integration of renewable plants into the system'', concluded the Transelectrica Director at the Solar Energy Bucharest Summit.

Stimulating consumption to keep the energy market in balance

The prospect of energy overproduction cannot be neglected. Surplus energy can create a number of challenges for market participants, ranging from extreme fluctuations in market prices to the possibility of negative prices and moreover difficulties in managing surplus energy. Balancing this situation becomes essential to ensure a smooth and efficient transition to renewables, avoiding the potential disruptions associated with uncontrolled overproduction.

''Another very important element that we have to take care of in order to allow this integration of renewables is energy consumption. The increase in electricity production must be in line with the increase in electricity consumption. After two years of energy crisis, consumption has decreased, but now is the time to stimulate electricity consumption, to attract investments in the consumption area, so that production and consumption go hand in hand and by 2030 we will have a maximum consumption of at least 12,000 MW. Otherwise we will be talking about overproduction at many times of the year and consumption that does not match production'', explained Virgiliu Ivan.

Transelectrica develops innovative technologies for managing critical situations

One of Transelectrica's main concerns is the continuous development of innovative technologies that can be applied in critical situations where power supply may be affected, such as breakdowns or blackouts. Through advanced technological approaches and ingenious solutions, Transelectrica aims to create a resilient infrastructure, able to cope with power interruptions and ensure a fast and efficient recovery of the normal operation of the power system.

''There is another element, another side that we know less about or that is our responsibility - the defence and restoration side of a system. These are activities that we, at Transelectrica, at the national energy dispatcher, are constantly analyzing and developing. Because the integration of renewable plants, we have to say, affects the safe operation. And the measures that we have are in the area of defence and restoration of the system. Our concern is to be innovative in new technologies, which in the event of a failure or a blackout, we can restart the system in the shortest possible time." said the company representative.