Post: GridBeyond now has the largest portfolio of 1s (very fast) raise Contingency FCAS

GridBeyond now has the largest portfolio of 1s (very fast) raise Contingency FCAS

GridBeyond has consolidated its position as the largest very fast FCAS aggregator in the NEM (National Electricity Market), managing a 145MW portfolio of Very Fast frequency control ancillary services in Australia. 

FCAS refers to a set of mechanisms and services implemented within power systems to regulate and stabilise grid frequency by providing a fast injection or fast reduction of energy, to manage supply and demand. 

FCAS operates through a combination of market-based mechanisms and technical solutions. It involves a range of services aimed at both managing sudden imbalances in supply and demand (known as contingency events) and providing continuous adjustments to maintain frequency stability. 

The Very Fast Contingency Frequency Control Ancillary Services launched in 2023 are designed to ensure there is enough frequency response in the system to deal with a single credible contingency – typically the loss of a large generating unit or major industrial load. 

FCAS finds application in various sectors. To participate assets are required to respond to a fall or rise in frequency within about a second or less by changing the output of their generator or load to attempt to arrest that fall or rise in frequency. Batteries, for example, can dispatch their stored energy to support the grid during times of high demand or unexpected fluctuations. 

Participants can deliver very fast FCAS while also delivering fast, slow and delayed FCAS. This means if a participant is already providing contingency FCAS, and has fast enough meters and operational response times, then they’d likely want to participate in the very fast markets. When participating in the FCAS market, participants typically work through aggregators, such as GridBeyond, that coordinate multiple sites. 

1s (very fast) raise Contingency FCAS 

GridBeyond’s FCAS Auto-rebidder combines sophisticated hardware control with backend software algorithms, this enhanced capability allows GridBeyond to optimise the bidding strategy for customers with large and dynamic loads leading to a significant increase in their revenue. Its success so far has meant that, with 145MW, GridBeyond is now the largest provider of 1s (very fast) raise Contingency FCAS.