Decentralized Demand Side Participation in Primary Frequency Control: Assessing the Impact of Response Rates

Increasing renewable energy generation is leading to reduced inertia in electric power systems. This challenges conventional frequency control methods, as frequency deviations become faster and more pronounced. One possible approach to maintaining system frequency within acceptable bounds is using demand-side response complementing current generation-side control strategies. However, evaluating the impact of different control strategies on frequency behavior is needed to compare their performance. This paper presents a set of conventional metrics and proposes a new metric for evaluating frequency behavior in electric power systems, based on a case study in an island power system in San Cristobal, Galapagos. Furthermore, it presents the impact on frequency of different demand-side response strategies that contribute to frequency control and their impact on the used batteries.