tneigroup.com

A specialist energy consultancy

Specialist consultancy for Ireland

tneigroup.com

Specialist consultancy for Ireland

TNEI is an independent specialist energy consultancy providing technical, strategic, environmental and consenting advice to organisations operating within the conventional and renewable energy sectors. We have a range of skills tailored specifically to answer the issues associated with increased distributed renewable generation and the integration of low carbon technology.

Our consultants have industry leading expertise in grid code compliance studies, noise assessment and modelling of innovative, smart grid technologies. These skills are complemented by a number of other technical services; from GIS and consenting, to civil engineering and energy market analysis, allowing us to confidently guide clients through projects from concept to delivery.

TNEI also owns and develops the power systems analysis software, IPSA 2, which contains an extensive range of fully integrated modules enabling all essential studies to be undertaken and can be used to provide bespoke modelling solutions.

TNEI operates from three offices in the UK: Manchester, Newcastle and Glasgow, as well as Cape Town in South Africa. Our clients range from large utilities, large and small project developers, industrial organisations and manufacturers, regulators, development banks, public sector bodies and community groups.

We thrive on excellence, passion and exceeding expectations in all that we do, providing high quality, industry leading services to all our clients worldwide.

TNEI has undertaken more than 100 grid code studies in Ireland, with a total experience of over 500 wind farm grid code studies and 200 solar PV grid code studies worldwide.

TNEI is an independent specialist energy consultancy providing technical, strategic, environmental and consenting

advice to organisations operating within the conventional and renewable energy sectors.

Specialist consultancyfor Ireland

Our services across the project lifecycle include:

Concept

• GIS site finding and constraints mapping• Grid connection feasibility• Network tariff analysis• Energy market analysis• Multi-criteria assessment• Technology and innovation reviews• Network master planning• Regulatory submissions and assessments• Strategic advisory services.

Design

• Environmental Impact Assessment• Consenting and permitting• Noise monitoring and assessment• Noise expert witness services• Shadow flicker modelling and assessment• Grid code compliance• Stability / harmonics studies• Insulation coordination• Earthing design and site measurements• Protection coordination• CDM Principal Designer / Project Supervisor Design Process.

Construction

• Lender’s / owner’s engineer• Construction management• Earthing design measurements• Outage planning• Commissioning.

Operation

• Transactional due diligence• Noise compliance• Shadow flicker compliance monitoring• Environmental compliance• Failure investigations• Capability building / training• Asset management planning• Active Network Management (ANM) solutions.

Case studies Service: Technical due diligenceClient: K2 Management / CGN

TNEI undertook technical due diligence of a portfolio of 14 onshore wind farms in Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland, some in construction phase and others in operational phase, totalling 221MW. The review comprised a Phase 1 Red Flag Review and Phase 2 Detailed Review of grid connection, electrical infrastructure, planning, consenting, health and safety, noise and shadow flicker aspects. TNEI was subcontracted to K2 Management, who was responsible for delivering the wider due diligence review to CGN. Following successful completion of the due diligence works; CGN acquired a proportion of the portfolio.

Service: Cable investigationClient: EirGrid

TNEI developed a study methodology and managed the contingency analysis, reactive power compensation and harmonic assessment on the All Ireland Transmission System, for the connection of multiple HVDC convertors and offshore AC cables to the transmission system. Impedance scans, EMT studies and cable model development in ATP/EMTP were carried out to assess the impact of resonances on switching surges.

Service: Generation connection and transmission network assessmentClient: NIE, AES, Saorgus Energy Ltd, Gaelectric Energy Storage, First Flight Wind Limited

TNEI was commissioned by a generator developer and transmission network owner to undertake a large scale generation connection feasibility study and strategic transmission network assessment for the Northern Ireland and Republic of Ireland transmission network. The generation studies include Larne compressed air energy storage (136MW), Fair Head and Torr Head offshore tidal generators (100MW each), East Cost offshore wind (324MW), AES Ballylumford and Kilroot generations (450MW) and Dublin Array Offshore Wind Farm (600MW). The modelling was carried out using PSS/E models of the all island transmission system, with different connection options and dispatch scenarios. The loading of the transmission network with respect to system steady state performance under intact and contingency conditions were analysed. For the Northern Ireland region, the impact of the closure of Kilroot and Ballylumford generating units and the inclusion of the new north-south interconnectors were studied. For the Republic of Ireland region, the study also considers demand growth in the area resulting from the proposed connection of data centres and how the connection of generation may help to meet these demand requirements.

Service: Wind curtailment and network constraint analysis Client: TCI Renewables, SSE Renewables, RES, Windsource Ltd, SWS, Bord Gáis, DWC, Energia Renewables, Gaelectric and Brookfield Renewables

TNEI performed wind curtailment and network constraint assessments for controllable wind farms in both Ireland and Northern Ireland. Curtailment occurs when renewable generation is dispatched down to maintain system-wide security while network constraint occurs when wind power reduction is required to ensure the transmission system is within the thermal overload limits under both intact contingency conditions. The network constraint assessment calculated the MWh and percentage of wind power reduction, based on a whole year hourly simulation which includes unit commitment, generation dispatch, calculation of branch and nodal sensitivities, contingencies analysis and minimisation of wind power reductions.

Service: Technical supportClient: NIE

TNEI investigated the possibility of different types of ferroresonance at a wind farm connected via a long 33kV cable. EMT switching studies have also been carried out for the wind farm. TNEI staff were seconded to NIE, working on generator connections to the distribution systems. The team investigated the benefits of employing voltage control on circuits with embedded generators to increase non-firm generation capacity on distribution networks.

Service: Dynamic stability of all-island network with HVAC or HVDC interconnectionClient: Eirgrid

TNEI was engaged, as part of a long running engagement with EirGrid, to undertake analysis work on the proposed new interconnection between the Republic of Ireland (RoI) and Northern Ireland (NI). The requirement was to assess the dynamic performance of the all-island transmission network considering either a single 400kV overhead line circuit, or similar rated VSC HVDC link. The major challenge for the system operator was the implication of running the HVDC link in parallel to the existing 275kV AC interconnection, and the implication for system risk in the event of losing the AC interconnection.

The analysis of the systemic risk required a full appreciation of the transmission environment and the most appropriate outage, loading and operational considerations. It also required an in-depth appreciation of HVDC and WTG technology, as suitable technology models needed to be either developed or modified. The analysis also required consideration of a wide range of operational configurations and loading conditions which was managed through the development of automation, including dynamic studies. The automation was a key element to allow our study engineers to investigate the full breadth of conditions as required for assessment of critical transmission infrastructure, whilst maintaining efficiency. The automation also ensures consistency of results and minimises the risk of manual error.

Service: Shadow flicker complaint investigationClient: Wind farm operator

TNEI was appointed by a large international wind farm operator to investigate complaints relating to shadow flicker at a five turbine scheme in south east Ireland.

The assessment was undertaken in accordance with the relevant shadow flicker related planning condition and an associated protocol for the investigation of complaints. TNEI undertook detailed modelling using the specialist software, Windfarm to predict periods when shadow flicker could theoretically occur at the complainant’s properties to enable a comparison to the complaints logs recorded by the resident.

Whilst the modelling was undertaken by our specialists, a flicker survey was also undertaken by TNEI’s technology partner, Visualwind, at the complainant’s property to measure the actual occurrence of shadow flicker at the site. The survey involved collection of high resolution light data and short video clips which correlated very well with predictions of shadow flicker. TNEI and Visualwind identified the turbines causing the shadow flicker and designed a mitigation strategy in a format agreed with the turbine supplier to enable a shadow flicker control system to be implemented.

The mitigation strategy involved the relevant turbines being automatically switched off at the appropriate times to avoid future shadow flicker occurrence. A follow up shadow flicker survey was undertaken to demonstrate the effectiveness of the mitigation which showed that the control system had successfully prevented all occurrences of shadow flicker at the resident’s property.

We have carried out noise assessments for more than 160 wind farms at various stages of development, from initial site design through to operational compliance monitoring, supporting projects totalling over 3.5GW.

Key contacts

Dr Mustafa KayikciPrincipal Consultant

Mustafa has over 10 years’ experience and his core skills are the modelling of power system equipment and transmission / distribution network analysis. He holds a PhD in Electrical Power Systems and a First Class Honours Degree in Electrical and Electronic Engineering. Since joining TNEI in 2007, Mustafa has been involved in a number projects assessing grid code compliance, as well as the conceptual design of wind farms (both on and offshore). This work has included load-flow, fault level, voltage/transient stability and harmonic assessment to determine the

optimum export cable and substation equipment.

Mustafa has also been involved in projects for network transmission operators where he developed study methodology and managed the contingency analysis, reactive power compensation and harmonic assessment for transmission systems and for the connection of multiple HVDC convertors and offshore AC cables to the transmission system. He is involved in generator modelling and has experience in load flow, fault level, harmonic analysis, traction networks, and the transient behaviour of transmission and distribution systems.

Dr Yun Tiam TanPrincipal Consultant

Tan has over 14 years’ professional experience in both power system consultancy and software development. He holds a PhD in Electrical Power Systems and a First Class Honours Degree in Electrical and Electronic Engineering. He is experienced in power system analysis including load flow, fault level, power quality, harmonic and dynamic studies for various onshore renewable generations. He also undertakes other specialised studies, such as wind farm constraint analysis, generation planning and distribution pricing. He

is involved in developing custom software to perform more complex studies e.g. planning tool for DNO (demand forecasting, LTDS fault levels, contingency analysis), wind farm annual curtailment and generation incremental transfer capability studies. Tan also develops bespoke software for power systems analysis in Python and Fortran with IPSA+ and PSS/E.

James MackayHead of Technical Services

Since joining TNEI over 10 years ago, James has developed a detailed knowledge of wind farm noise assessments and has managed the growth of TNEI’s noise team.

James holds the Diploma in Acoustics and Noise Control, is a Member of the Institute of Acoustics and was involved in the drafting and review of the Institute of Acoustics document ‘A good practice guide to the application of ETSU-R-97 for the assessment and rating of wind turbine noise.’

Whilst at TNEI, James has been involved with more than 160 ETSU-R-97 wind farm noise assessments and several hundred assessments of smaller single turbine schemes . In addition to baseline noise assessments James also has experience of wind turbine compliance testing, complaints investigations and Planning Appeals.

Get in touch

We are a specialist, independent company. That’s why we can offer a flexible, personal service and help our clients quickly and efficiently, without all the big corporate distractions.

But most of all, we love to solve problems.

For more information about our specialist consultancy services, please contact Ged Barrett; email: ged.barrett@tneigroup.com or call: +44 (0)7795 113 378.

Contact

We are a specialist, independent company. That’s why we can offer a flexible, personal service and help our clients quickly and efficiently, without all the big corporate distractions.

But most of all, we love to solve problems.

For more information about who we are and what we do, please contact: info@tneigroup.com

No part of this document may be reproduced in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying or recording, without prior permission in writing from TNEI. All facts, figures, product and service information is correct at the time of print. All rights reserved. © TNEI Services Ltd 2017. Version: B1

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