Advancing Grid-Forming Technology to Boost Renewable Energy Usage Worldwide

The third edition of the International Digital Energy Expo (IDEE) started today in Shenzhen, China, bringing together industry leaders, organization representatives, and experts from around the globe. The event aims to discuss cutting-edge trends in the energy sector and explore innovative technological applications that can potentially reshape global energy dynamics.

During the opening ceremony, Zhou Jianjun, Vice President of Huawei and President of Global Marketing, Sales and Services for Huawei Digital Power, delivered an insightful keynote address titled "All-Scenario Grid Forming Technology, Accelerating Wind and Solar as Main Power." In his address, Zhou emphasized the urgent need to address the challenges posed by a rapidly increasing penetration of wind and solar energy.

Zhou pointed out that the consensus surrounding carbon neutrality has sparked a series of actions aimed at transitioning to renewable energy sources. However, the integration of high proportions of renewable energy in power systems significantly destabilizes grid operations, resulting in two major challenges: the need for advanced energy resilience and the capability of power electronics equipment. In response, Huawei has leveraged ongoing technological innovation to enhance its grid-forming capabilities across varying scenarios, paving the way for a new, stable power system that prioritizes solar and wind as primary energy sources.

For over a decade, Huawei has invested in advancing the technology behind grid formation. By bridging the gap between traditional grid-following technologies and innovative grid-forming strategies, Huawei continues to lead the industry forward. The company’s approach combines its proprietary hardware, advanced algorithms, and optimal architectures tailored for different operational contexts. These contributions have resulted in six critical grid-forming capabilities that facilitate the generation, transportation, distribution, and consumption of electricity effectively.

These capabilities include features like short-circuit level management, virtual inertia support, wide-area oscillation damping, primary frequency response, autonomous recovery within minutes, and seamless transitions between grid-connected and islanded operation.

Huawei’s grid-forming technologies are already deployed worldwide, setting benchmarks for global green transitions. In the region surrounding the Red Sea, Huawei’s innovations have enabled the establishment of a fully renewable-powered microgrid, which has been operational for two years without significant outages, even under adverse weather conditions. This track record showcases the reliability and resilience of renewable power solutions pioneered by Huawei.

In Xizang, China, Huawei facilitated an exciting project where a 30 MW photovoltaic system integrated with a 6 MW/24 MWh energy storage system was deployed in extreme high-altitude and cold conditions. This solution not only enabled an increase in photovoltaic power output from 1.5 MW to 12 MW but also optimized energy economics, yielding a 75% surge in energy production when compared to other industry solutions.

Additionally, the largest PV + ESS project globally, located in the Philippines, is set to transform energy accessibility, showcasing a combined capacity of 3.5 GW in photovoltaic systems along with 4.5 GWh for energy storage. This initiative incorporates Huawei’s highly coordinated PV + ESS technology, ensuring a constant energy output for 13 hours daily, enhancing energy reliability for the region.

Huawei is committed to being at the forefront of digital innovations within the energy industry, emphasizing a complete synchronization of devices, edge computing, and cloud processing focused on PV + ESS solutions. This synergy allows for intelligent lifecycle management of power plants, minimizing operational and maintenance tasks while maximizing revenue-generating capabilities.

Integrating artificial intelligence throughout the entire lifecycle of energy systems has led to remarkable improvements, including a 40% reduction in implementation errors and a 50% boost in operational efficiency, while increasing operational revenue by over 10%. This advanced methodology empowers customers to construct smarter, more efficient renewable energy plants, ushering the industry into a new era of automation and operational excellence.

Quality is a cornerstone of sustainable industry growth, and Huawei Digital Power remains steadfast in its commitment to quality standards throughout its processes - starting from demand definition and material management, extending to production and delivery. This dedication to quality results in enhanced customer value throughout the lifecycle of all products and services offered.

Looking ahead, Huawei Digital Power aims to collaborate with industrial authorities, electric power operators, industry associations, and standardization bodies to enhance industry standards, optimize energy market mechanisms, and promote scalable, robust, and quality-driven development in the sector, ultimately accelerating the adoption of wind and solar energy as the primary sources of power.