ScottishPower Renewables is claiming a world first after using onshore wind power in a ‘black-start’ restoration of the transmission system.
The Iberdrola-owned wind operator said its 69MW Dersalloch wind farm in Scotland was used to re-energise part of the grid after a shutdown – a procedure usually involving fossil sources such as gas.
ScottishPower worked with turbine OEM Siemens Gamesa and SP Energy Networks to achieve the black-start, which involved virtual synchronous machine (VSM) ‘grid forming’ technology that regulates frequency and voltage, creating a stable island of supply that can be used to restore the wider network after a blackout.
