The Corsica Sole EMS optimizes power plant operation

Corsica Sole‘s photovoltaic power plants benefit from a particularly sophisticated smart grid system, the EMS (Energy Management System). Acting as the brain of the power plant, the EMS makes an optimized forecast of the next day’s production and commits to deliveries—down to the minute—to the grid operator. The system makes millisecond-fast decisions between direct injection into the grid and storage and then release of electricity.

Day D-1: the EMS makes an optimized production forecast.

Corsica Sole’s EMS analyzes weather forecasts and sunshine levels to estimate the amount of radiation the plant will receive and calculate production with a high degree of accuracy.

It also uses data on the plant’s production history to continuously improve this diagnosis. Cloud cover, seasons, panel angles, history: everything is taken into account to define an extremely accurate production forecast. Corsica Sole will then commit to delivering electricity to the grid operator to the nearest minute.

In the event of a deviation of more than 5%, penalties are imposed by the CRE. Thanks to storage, the plant will be able to supply electricity at any time of the day or night, depending on the operator’s needs.

D-day: the EMS controls the plant in real time.

The EMS will control the power delivered to the electricity grid by arbitrating between direct injection of electricity into the grid and storage/discharging. The EMS consists mainly of two synchronized computers: one is located directly on the power plant site and another backup computer monitors what the first one is doing and can intervene in the event of a failure.

Part of the electricity is fed directly into the grid. It can be released from storage at any time, particularly during evening peak consumption, when demand is highest and rates are highest.