NERC 2024 Rule Changes: How will you comply?

The North American Electric Reliability Corporation (NERC) Generation Availability Data System (GADS) renewables reporting requirements are undergoing significant changes.

As we approach 2024, understanding these new mandates will keep you compliant.

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Wind and Solar Reporting Requirements - The Importance of Accurate Reporting
Decoding Monthly Operating Hours for Wind Units
Monthly Operating Hours for Solar Units
The Significance of Solar Monthly Performance Ratio
Why Automation is critical for Wind and Solar Requirements
Key Takeaways and Frequently Asked Questions

Meet The Hosts

Wing Cheng is a leading expert in GADS with over 30+ years of industry experience. He advises some of the largest utilities in the nation as well as multiple ISO/RTO clients. Wing helped pioneer development of one of the first GADS solutions in the country.

Rashed Khan has over 20 years of experience in the utilities industry developing various solutions for GADS as well as real-time outage management. Rashed is currently working with the leading utilities in North America to lead a charge to fully automate renewables plants.

Wind and Solar Reporting Requirements

The upcoming changes underscore the necessity for more detailed data reporting, especially for monthly performance metrics of wind and solar units. This shift signifies an increasing need for comprehensive and granular operational data within the renewable energy sector.

"One of the things that NERC is asking for now is to look at the monthly performance, specifically real-time operating conditions and mandatory event reporting for wind and solar units, which were not required before," notes Wing Cheng. "This is a considerable change that will require a more detailed data collection and reporting process."

What does that mean for you?

Under the new NERC GADS reporting requirements, there is a mandatory inclusion of real-time operating conditions and events for wind and solar units. This addition will significantly expand the data that needs to be collected and reported.
The shift to more detailed reporting necessitates an overhaul of current data collection and reporting processes. GADS professionals should start planning for this transition and ensure that appropriate tools and processes are in place to capture the required data.
This new requirement reflects a broader trend within the renewable energy sector, where there's an increasing demand for granular, detailed operational data. As such, GADS professionals should anticipate further changes in this direction.

Capturing the Monthly Operating Hours for Wind Units

While the reporting requirements for the Wind Turbine Hours have not changed, there is an additional requirement in the Monthly Performance data that is new in 2024: Expected Generation. This may make it difficult to continue collecting data manually like many wind plant operators have been doing before 2024. Many operators collect Turbine Hours by analyzing SCADA data in terms of:

Online vs. Offline
Available vs Unavailable
Maintenance vs. Forced vs. Planned
Resource Available vs. Resource Unavailable

The Resource Available/Unavailable buckets usually are the last sets of remaining turbine hours after all the other types of turbine hours have been allocated. In the last step some operator simply allocate the reserve shutdown time into Resource Available turbine hours and the rest goes into the Unavailable bucket. The arrival of the Expected Generation requirement calls for the examining of real-time windspeed, temperature, barometric pressure and humidity. In other words when resource is available, we need to calculate how much energy would have been generated. This implies that a great deal of real-time ambient data will need to be captured and analyzed, making computerized automation a necessity.

Capturing the Monthly Operating Hours for Solar Units

Capturing monthly operating hours for solar units will involve additional complexities that will be important to review. Most Inverter Hours can be captured by analyzing PI or SCADA data:

Online vs. Offline
Available vs Unavailable
Maintenance vs. Forced vs. Planned
Resource Available vs. Resource Unavailable

In terms of Online inverter hours, though, a further allocation between Solar Day and Solar Night will be required. The reporter needs to examine the daily definition of solar day and solar night in each geographical location, which changes throughout the year. Now for Resource Available/Unavailable Hours, allocation is also needed between Solar Day and Solar Night. It's critical to remember that it is not just about how long the sun is up, but also about the intensity of the sunlight, as solar panels generate power based on irradiance levels and ambient conditions.

"In terms of solar units, the Resource Available/Unavailable Hours will be based on the location of the panels, the real-time irradiance and the ambient condition." Wing points out. “whether resource is available or not depends on calculating an expected generation value based on the ambient conditions and engineering characteristic of each unit.“

Summarizing the Key Solar Unit Changes

A summary of the key Solar unit changes is presented below

Key 1: Monthly Inverter Online Hours will depend on the definition of Solar Day and Solar Night, which is dependent on geographical location
Key 2: Monthly Resource Available/Unavailable Hours will depend on the definition of Solar Day and Solar Night, irradiance levels, ambient conditions and engineering characteristics of each unit
Key 3: Accurate tracking of these conditions will require sophisticated data collection systems capable of monitoring realtime conditions. This might necessitate upgrades or modifications to existing infrastructure.
Key 4: The new reporting requirement adds another layer of complexity to GADS reporting for solar units. Professionals will need to be prepared for this challenge and consider strategies to accurately capture and report this data.

Solar Monthly Performance Ratio

A new addition to the GADS reporting requirements is the Solar Monthly Performance Ratio. This ratio is a measure of the overall efficiency of a solar power plant at converting available sunlight into electricity.

"NERC will now require a monthly performance ratio for solar units," Wing reveals. "This ratio is calculated as the actual output divided by the expected output."

Notable insights from this part of the discussion include:

The Solar Monthly Performance Ratio, a new addition to the GADS reporting requirements, is an essential measure of a solar power plant's efficiency.
The ratio is calculated as the actual output divided by the expected output. It will require the simultaneous tracking of actual and expected power generation.
The introduction of this ratio means GADS professionals will need to understand and monitor this performance metric, incorporating it into their reporting processes.

The National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) has a specific method for calculating the Solar Performance Ratio.. This ratio is a measure of the overall efficiency of a solar power plant at converting available sunlight into electricity. You can read more about the methodology here (PDF)

"The expected generation is a critical piece of the performance ratio calculation," Wing emphasized. "This needs to be calculated using accurate and reliable data." The PowerGADS platform brings an enhanced level of granularity, accuracy, and reliability to automated GADS reporting.

Wind/Solar Event Reporting Requirements - Why Automation is critical

The new NERC GADS reporting requirements also address event reporting for wind and solar units. This presents a significant shift, considering the unique operational characteristics and challenges of renewable energy sources.

"NERC will now require event reporting for wind and solar units," Wing states. "This includes any time the unit is forced to reduce output or shut down due to a mechanical, electrical, or control system failure; as well as human or other external factors."

What does that mean for your event reporting moving forward?

Most clients will want to automate event creation using their underlying PI/SCADA data.
Event reporting is now extended to wind and solar units, marking a new era in GADS reporting requirements.
Any instance when a unit is forced to reduce output or shut down should be reported.
GADS professionals will need to ensure their event logging systems are equipped to handle this new reporting requirement, which might necessitate process modifications or system upgrades.

The 2024 NERC GADS reporting requirements present a significant shift in how renewable energy generation data is collected, analyzed, and reported. While these changes pose certain challenges, they also offer opportunities for improving the accuracy and comprehensiveness of renewable energy data, ultimately driving better decision-making.

With new concepts to grasp, calculations to perform, and systems to update, GADS professionals have their work cut out for them. However, with adequate preparation and the right tools, like the PowerGADS platform, you can successfully navigate this new era of GADS reporting.

FAQ for 2024 NERC GADS Renewable Updates

What are the new 2024 NERC GADS reporting requirements for wind and solar units?

The new requirements include capturing monthly performance ratio and/or expected generation for renewable units, mandatory forced events and potential MWh lost for each event.

How is the Solar Monthly Performance Ratio calculated?

The Solar Monthly Performance Ratio is calculated as the actual output divided by the expected output. It is a measure of the overall efficiency of a solar power plant at converting available sunlight into electricity. NERC indicated that the reporter should follow the NREL method for calculating Performance Ratio.

What is the NREL Solar Performance Ratio?

The NREL Solar Performance Ratio is a method for calculating solar power plant efficiency. It requires specific inputs, including the DC rating, the total plane of array irradiance, and the ambient temperature. You can find more information in this PDF from NREL

How are monthly operating hours for solar units calculated?

Most operating hours can be captured by analyzing SCADA data: Online vs. Offline, Available vs Unavailable, Maintenance vs. Forced vs. Planned, Resource Available vs. Resource Unavailable, etc. In addition, real-time irradiance and ambient conditions are needed to determine resource availability.

What changes will GADS professionals need to make in light of the new NERC GADS reporting requirements?

GADS professionals will need to familiarize themselves with new calculations and concepts, potentially modify their data collection systems to capture new metrics, and ensure they can accurately report on these new requirements. This might involve system upgrades, additional training, and process modifications.

Why are these changes to the NERC GADS reporting requirements important?

These changes improve the accuracy and comprehensiveness of renewable energy data. This data, in turn, drives better decision-making within the industry, contributing to the efficient operation and management of renewable energy resources.

What tools can help GADS professionals navigate these changes?

Tools like the PowerGADS platform can greatly assist GADS professionals in navigating these changes by offering a comprehensive and user-friendly solution for automated data collection, analysis, and reporting.

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