Provision of black start and system services by sector-coupled hybrid power plants: A real-time validated power plant controller framework

This article addresses the growing demand for advanced system service provision by inverter based resources in future power systems. The co-location and joint grid connection of multiple generation technologies within hybrid power plants offer significant potential to deliver such services, while requiring sophisticated coordination of individual assets. This paper presents a comprehensive and experimentally validated power plant controller framework for a grid forming hybrid power plant with internal direct current coupling. The plant integrates PV and wind generation, a battery energy storage system, as well as an electrolyzer, and is equipped with a central grid forming converter. The controller performs the internal energy management during grid connected and islanded operation, supervises system service provision including secondary frequency control and executes dedicated routines for grid resynchronization and participation in black start processes. The controller is validated as Hardware of Interest within a Control Hardware-in-the-Loop environment. Simulation results demonstrate reliable operation in grid connected mode including maintaining battery constraints, secure delivery of contractual power, and secondary frequency control. Black start execution, restoration area supply, and subsequent grid resynchronization can be performed according to current processes but are still weather dependent. Sector-coupling via the electrolyzer enables more flexible and integrated grid restoration processes by enabling grid-forming load operation and hydrogen production for hydrogen-fueled plants.