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Network Connection: EU Publishes FGH Study on National Implementation of Network Codes

Aachen, Germany - FGH, based in Aachen, Germany, has won the EU Commission's tender for a comprehensive study on the implementation of the European Network Code of Requirements for Generators (RfG NC) at the end of 2019.

For one year, the experts from Aachen investigated how 35 countries implement the European Network Code of Requirements for Generators in their own national codes.

The EU Commission adopted the RfG NC Regulation (EU) 2016/631 in 2016. This sets out harmonized connection rules for the connection of power generation modules.

Some technical requirements for grid connection of Power Generation Modules (PGMs) according to RfG NC were realised somewhat differently in each country.

These diverging national implementations stem from the fact that the RfG NC gives grid operators and national regulatory authorities design freedoms for so-called non-exhaustive grid connection requirements. One of these freedoms is the categorisation of PGMs as type A to D. As an example, a PGM may already be considered type B in one country, but still count as type A in another. As a result, there are still barriers to market entry within the European internal electricity market, according to the FGH's assessment.

How the players are to prove the grid conformity of their PGMs is still an open question in many countries, as the RfG formulates the provisions for conformity tests and simulations in the operational notification process rather vaguely. Furthermore, some countries have already established concrete verification provisions, while others are working out verification processes and some have not implemented any procedures yet. Together this leads to a relatively broad spectrum of national implementation procedures today.

“Based on our comprehensive analysis, the study provides some recommendations on how a more uniform process could be established across Europe in the future”, concludes Bernhard Schowe-von der Brelie, Managing Director of FGH, who is involved in harmonising the rulemaking across various European and international committees.



Source: IWR Online, 03 May 2021

 


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