CIGRE > Solar PV and Wind

Knowledge Programme > Solar PV and Wind

CIGRE is a world leader, we offer a scope of work covering the end to end power system. With over 4000 experts collaborating in our knowledge development programme, our electricity work on the energy transition is as global as it is comprehensive.

A key part of this work is around solar PV and wind and is enabled by our international study committees and working groups.

These groups involve experts from all over the world and the work they produce is renowned as a practical, world class, technical resource.

Information on CIGRE’s technical work and resources on solar PV and wind follows:

Study
Committees

Working
groups

Technical
Brochures

CIGRE’s scope of work on solar PV and wind

To follow is a list of the areas of scope relating to solar PV and wind grouped by each of our relevant global Study Committees.

SC A1 Power generation and electromechanical energy conversion

• Wind turbines, non -PV solar, tidal, biomass, and geothermal generation schemes

SC A2 Power transformers and reactors

• Innovative transformer design for Wind and Solar applications
• Reliability survey of transformers used in wind and solar farms

SC A3 Transmission and distribution equipment

• Impact of Renewables (overload, stresses) on T&D equipment

SC B1 Insulated cables

• Cable systems are key components in delivering electricity from wind&solar plants in general.

• Submarine cables enables the installation of large wind farms offshore.

• Cables are used as interconnectors between countries to allow for a broader energy mix (solar&wind with hydroelectric).

SC B2 Overhead lines

• Transit capacity of overhead lines to connect wind and solar farms to the grid
• Interconnection Overhead Lines and Cables.

SC B3 Substations and electrical installations

• New substation design concepts and new functions

SC B4 DC systems and power electronics

• Inverter technologies

SC B5 Protection and automation

• Protection, automation and control of networks connected to renewable energy resources
• New Network Requirements
• Design, engineering, monitoring and performance of protective relay based power system

SC C1 Power system development and economics

• Forecast, observability, controllability in micro and mini distributed generation (MMDG), aggregators

SC C2 Power system operation and control

• Forecast, observability, controllability, inertia, micro and mini distributed generation (MMDG), aggregators, huge offshore wind generation plants

SC C3 Power system sustainability and environmental performance

• Stakeholders’ engagement and public acceptance

SC C4 Power system technical performance

• Modelling and Dynamic Analysis of grid-following and grid-forming converters
• Offshore wind and energy islands performance
• Lightning protection of PV systems and wind farms

SC C5 Electricity markets and regulation

• Integration into markets, dispatch and pricing
• Regulatory aspects of network access

SC D1 Materials and emerging test techniques

• Impact of invertors on material ageing

SC D2 Information systems, telecommunications and cybersecurity

• Telecommunications and cybersecurity requirements between wind and solar generators to the utility

Current working groups relating to solar PV and wind

To follow is our current working groups presented by our Study Committee structure. Working groups culminate with the production of a report, called a Technical Brochure.

Group A – Equipment

A1 Power generation and electromechanical energy conversion

JWG A1/C4.52: Wind generators and frequency-active power control of power systems

A2 Power transformers and reactors

WG A2.68 Failure survey of lower voltage generator step up transformers installed in wind farms and photovoltaic parks

Group B – Technologies

B1 Insulated cables

WG B1.67 Loading pattern on cables connected to windfarms

WG B1.83 Grounding of long HVDC land cable connections

WG B1.91 Calculations of cyclic current rating

B3 Substations and electrical installations

WG B3.69 Process Requirements for Commissioning and Inspection of Air Insulated Substations (AIS) and Gas Insulated Substations (GIS)

WG B3.68 Experience of Offshore Substation (OSS) operation and maintenance

B4 DC systems and power electronics

WG B4.102 Technical requirements and scenario considerations on grid-forming capabilities of VSC-HVDC systems

B5 Protection and automation

WG B5.65 Enhancing Protection System Performance by Optimising the Response of Inverter-Based Sources

JWG B5/C4.79 Protection Roadmap for Low Inertia and Low Fault Current Networks

JWG B5/C4.61 Impact of Low Inertia Network on Protection and Control

WG B5.78 New requirements of network protection and control for renewable energy integration

Group C – Systems

C1 Power system development and economics

WG C1/C4.36 Large city & metropolitan area power system development trends, taking into account new generation, grid and information technologies

WG C1/C6.42 Planning tools and methods for systems facing high levels of distributed energy resources

WG C1.49 (to be started) Off shore grids

C2 Power system operation and control

JWG C2/B4.43 The impact of offshore wind power hybrid AC/DC connections on system operations and system design

C3 Power system sustainability and environmental performance

WG C3-17 Interactions between wildlife and emerging renewable energy sources and submarine cables

C4 Power system technical performance

WG C4.44 EMC for Large Photovoltaic Systems

WG C4.54 Protection of high voltage power network control electronics from the High-altitude Electromagnetic pulse (HEMP)

WG C4.36 Winter Lightning – Parameters and Engineering Consequences for Wind Turbines

WG C4.65 Specification, Validation and Application of Harmonic Models of Inverter Based Resources

WG A1/C4.52 Wind generators and frequency-active power control of power systems

WG B4/C4.93 Development of Grid Forming Converters for Secure and Reliable Operation of Future Electricity Systems

WG C4.60 Generic EMT-Type Modelling of Inverter-Based Resources for Long Term Planning Studies

WG C4.77 Best practices for individual and collective conformity assessment of inverter-based resources during their lifetime

C5 Electricity markets and regulation

WG C5-39 Regulatory frameworks and market integration for assets under non-firm grid connection

C6 Active distribution systems and distributed energy resources

WG C6.44 Nodal Value of Distributed Renewable Energy Generation

Group D – New Materials and IT

D1 Materials and emerging test techniques

WG D1.74 PD measurement on insulation systems stressed from HV power electronics

D2 Information systems, telecommunications and cybersecurity

WG D2.54 Regulatory approaches to enhance EPU's cybersecurity frameworks

Technical Brochures already published relating to solar PV and wind

CIGRE Technical Brochures (TBs) on this subject have been produced by a range of our Study Committees. In the visual below you can see some examples of recent ones.

Each of these in-depth publications provide a uniquely global and peer reviewed resource of technical materials. They are therefore sought after as the preeminent technical reference publications for professionals around the world.

Solar PV and Wind TBs on eCIGRE