Generation management systems (GMS) and market interface

Advancing generation operations for the future

Managing generation assets and market interfaces is becoming increasingly complex—particularly in the face of evolving energy and environmental policies, changing market rules, and renewable and distributed generation. Generation management faces the additional challenge of balancing plant efficiencies and profitability with risk and cost reduction. 

 

Mission-critical tools to manage critical generation assets

Generation management systems (GMS) are mission critical tools for asset managers with centralized or geographically distributed facilities. These systems encompass:

• SCADA capabilities needed to coordinate the real-time operation of power plants

• key functionality required to provide and to implement generation schedules

• forecast and manage intermittent renewable and distributed generation resources such as wind power or solar power.

GMS systems manage critical functions including:

• multi-area/multi-market generation control and dispatch

• load forecasting

• forecast and monitoring of intermittent renewable and distribute generation resources

• transaction scheduling

• performance monitoring

• real-time cost curve monitoring

• load profiling

• market operational interfaces to the transmission grid.

Meeting today’s generation needs, while planning for the future

KEMA helps generation companies identify and develop more effective ways to plan and manage assets, while keeping a watchful eye on future expansion impacts.  

 

We help clients evaluate and implement a GMS system that meets their specific criteria, whether on a standard or fast track schedule. We work with clients determine specific needs relative to functional needs such as:

• historical archiving

• RTU and plant communication interfaces

• cyber security

• billing and settlement.

We also help clients assess the impact of expansion on the sizing of a generation management system.

 

Understanding vendor options, software protocols and market rules

With our thorough knowledge of the systems currently on the market, KEMA helps clients choose from among the most reliable vendors in the industry, with a focus on the limitations and expansion capabilities of these systems. 

 

We also are closely involved with the definition and continual monitoring of market rules.

This means that our generation and market design specialists have extensive experience in the analysis of different software protocols and market rules to determine:

• special SCADA requirements

• level of AGC implementation to be provided by the generation company in comparison to ISOs

• market interfaces to upload and download market information such as generation bids, bilateral schedules, and billing and settlement data.

Solving the market interface puzzle

Market interfaces are one of the most common issues that the generation and trading companies struggle with today.  The information and communication systems and protocols of ISOs and RTOs are usually different from each other. This can add to the complexity of the issue when multi-market participation is desired.

 

KEMA has thorough experience in dealing with the software companies that are providing the interfaces. We have worked with many generation companies to establishing their links with multiple ISOs. We have also assisted several markets establish their communications and interface rules and systems, including:

• PJM

• NYISO

• ISONE

• ERCOT

• MWISO

• NWRTO

• Ontario market. 

We also have a comprehensive database in the systems and capabilities of all of the software and systems providers that can be utilized for these kinds of assignments. Some of the considerations in the market interface projects are:

• capability for all of the required data to be transferred through the link including ancillary services

• expandability of the selected solution in terms of number of markets and number of points

• maintenance and availability of the link

• maximum use and utilization of existing systems at the generation company and ISO.