Second policy level: post transfer policy learning for grid technical standards

This section will cover the post transfer learning for establishing technical grid codes, a type of hard transfer based on lessons drawn from abroad and China’s own experiences. Grid codes will be discussed from the perspective of institutional building based policy learning from abroad related to training and education in the area of grid code policy formation. The education institutions are not covered under the main policy categorisation presented in section 3.5.1 (Table 3.1: Generic policies and interventions) and 5.2 (specific environmental policies); but the institutions can be categorised as training and education instrument (briefly described in 3.5.1 as

‘other’ policy instruments), which have been initiated and supported by the private sector in China.

Institutional Building

The joint Sino-German learning that occurred through the “China Wind Power Research and Training Project” (CWPP) from 2005-2010 (discussed earlier in section 7.1) contributed to building China’s learning institutions for grid integration in the four areas of training and applied research, operation and maintenance, service information and advice as well as professional training for technicians and engineers.

Within these four areas, the project provided training through an exchange with the European Academy of Wind Energy and REnKnow.net. The exchange programme facilitated applied research in the areas of grid connection such as grid code compliance tests for wind farms, wind

power forecast systems, resource analysis, and micrositing (selecting the wind turbine type and precise location on a wind farm). Other areas of assistance involved testing wind turbines in accordance to international standards and certification. The CWPP also helped improve wind farm operations by assessing technical problems in wind farms. Service information and advice was provided through wind power helpdesks and online consulting advice offered in Chinese and English and policy advisory service for government departments involved in wind power development. In the area of professional training for technicians and engineers, the project established two reputable research and training institutions. In 2006, the Renewable Energy Department at the China Electric Power Research Institutes (CEPRI) was formed and has developed into a “leading authority in the field of wind power grid integration” (CWPC, 2009).

In the same year, one of the CWPP project partners, China Longyuan Power Group and the Suzhou Nuclear Power Research Institute established the Suzhou Longyuan Bailu Wind Power Vocational Training Centre. Since 2009, the centre has trained over 1600 wind power technicians and other workers and is a pioneering institution that likely sets precedence for other wind power training institution in China (CWPC, 2009).

The “China Wind Environment Research & Training Center” (WERT- discussed in the latter part of section 7.1) was another Sino-German interactive learning project that focused on technical training for wind integration from 2008-2011. As a result of the training conducted through WERT, the State Grid Corporation of China who was the lead implementing agency of the project, established the National Center for Testing and Research for Wind, Solar and Storage Technology in Zhangbei. The centre carries out research and training in addition to licensing and testing – specifically testing to adhere to regional grid regulations. The policy implications resulting from the WERT project will be examined in the following discussion (GIZ, 2011).

Policy Formation

Since February 2006, the “B/Z 19963-2005, Technical Rule for Connecting Wind to Networks”

was enacted as a preliminary guideline for the technical requirements for connecting wind farms to the grid in China. This code is seen as a quasi-regulation that is not formally implemented as a regulation (discussed in 2.4). The grid connection codes placed a disproportional burden on wind power generators who were expected to comply with standards to support grid connection.

Some wind power firms argue that the burden of responsibility should not only lie on the wind power generators alone and that there are too many requirements for wind power generators.

Grid companies can still avoid grid connection, most often citing safety concerns as an issue for refusing interconnection, even though wind power generators must adhere to connection codes (G. Wu, personal communication, May 18^th 2009). While progress may not be as quick as wind

power generators may require, the State Grid was purportedly working to speed up developing its technology standards in order to increase the uptake of electricity from wind power (Polaris Power Wind Power News, 2011).

The aim of establishing technical codes was to improve gird stability and not necessarily to place wind farm generators at a disadvantage. In 2009, the codes underwent a revision by the National Standardization Committee with the State Electricity Regulatory Commission (SERC) supervising the amendments in collaboration with the China Electric Power Research Institute, who was responsible for the grid code revision. The institute collaborated with Long Yuan Electric Power Group Corporation, China Southern Power Grid Technology Center, and China Power Engineering Consulting. Based on policy learning from abroad and China’s own post transfer learning, there where four areas revised in the grid code including:

 “Requirement of active power control;

 Requirement of reactive power capacity and voltage control;

 Requirement on Low Voltage Ride Through capability;

 Grid Integration Compliance Testing of wind farm” (Chi, 2010).

The grid revisions have taken international grid code standards into account, as seen in the a systematic policy learning case documented in the China Greentech Initiative 2009, “Renewable Energy Sector- Wind power Fact Book”. The report, complied with the help of energy and environment organisations, academia and industry, cites a well-known international grid connectivity standard established by The International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC)

“Power Quality Requirements for Grid Connected Wind Turbines” (IEC 61400-21). The standard established procedures for reviewing compliance with power quality specifications and developed a testing protocol to compare different turbine types with grid requirements (China Greentech Initiative, 2009). The IEC 61400-21 has been applied to the Low Voltage Ride Through (LVRT)²¹ testing in China, with the first pilot test conducted in October 2010. Several full-scale tests were subsequently performed within the State Grid coverage area. The tests were conducted according to Grid Connection Guidelines for wind generators formulated by the CEPRI with the assistance from the WERT project (discussed above in Institutional Building).

The Grid Connection Guidelines are the first binding guidelines for wind generators covering the State Grid area, which accounts for around 80 percent of the total grid area. The tests were conducted on wind turbines using a mobile lab to ensure the wind power equipment adhere d to grid standards (GIZ, 2011).

21 DEIF Wind Power technology defines LVRT as “capturing the ability of a wind turbine (or in reality a wind park) to stay connected to the grid throughout a short mains voltage drop (a brownout) or a mains failure (a blackout).”

(DEIF Wind Power Technology, n.d.)

Including a LVRT feature in the wind turbine control system allows wind farms to remain connected to the grids during brownouts (occurs when there is a drop in voltage) thereby maintaining grid stability. Wind farms in China are able to completely drop offline during grid disturbances resulting in major blackouts in China, which often stems from brownouts.

Maintaining grid stability requires wind farms to remain online and operational during brownouts to offset the voltage drop (DEIF Wind Power Technology, n.d.).

The policy lessons for grid codes and grid connection guidelines have lead to the implementation of wind power grid integration standards. In February 2011, the China Electricity Council announced the first wind industry standard for power grid integration on the

“Specification of Dispatching and Operating Management for Wind Power”. The standard covered wind power integration and dispatching and was approved by the National Energy Bureau in August 2011. The new standards do not replace the “B/Z 19963-2005, Technical Rule for Connecting Wind to Networks” but function as a part of the overall grid integration standard system (Polaris Power Wind Power News, 2001; Energy China Forum, 2011).

The examples of lesson drawing from the U.S. and Germany in wind integration issues are only some of the few cases of how policy learning from abroad may lead to policy transfer and practical application within China. The next section examines policy learning and transfer in establishing end-user electricity tariffs to fund grid development.

7.2 Policy learning from abroad and policy transfer in electricity