Impact of Inverter-Based Resources on Low-Inertia Grids Under Varying Weather Conditions

Incorporating inverter-based resources (IBR) into power systems plays a pivotal role in advancing the shift toward decarbonized energy infrastructure. Nonetheless, the growing adoption of these resources presents inherent difficulties for power system stability, primarily attributed to a decline in overall inertia. With the advancement in technology, inverters can provide synthetic inertia (SI) to address these challenges. However, the SI provided by IBRs is uncertain and depends on variable weather conditions. In this context, this paper studies the impact of variable weather conditions on the frequency response of low-inertia grids in the security-constrained unit commitment framework. Simulations are carried out on the IEEE 39-bus system with varying weather conditions for wind and solar penetration levels up to 40 \(\%\) . The obtained results show that introducing synthetic inertia from solar PV and wind farms significantly improved the rate of change of frequency (RoCoF) and frequency nadir, thereby emphasizing the critical need to address frequency stability in high renewables penetration scenarios. These findings underscore the strategic integration of renewable energy sources as a key factor in enhancing grid reliability and sustainability, representing a crucial step in the evolution toward a greener and more resilient energy future.