Control software used in fusion energy research has the potential to help grid operators cope with increased supply and demand. This is the conclusion of a study by United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority (UKAEA) and Oxfordshire tech start-up, Sygensys.
The study lasted 6 months. It assessed how fusion control software, ‘MARTe’, could transfer to the wider energy sector to help boost grid resilience.
There has been an increase of renewable energy sources to provide cleaner energy in the UK. There will be an expected 40% increase in electricity demand over the next decade. This is due to the rise in electric vehicles, heat pumps and other appliances. As the UK progresses, grid operators face challenges from the conventional use of synchronous generators towards a smart grid model. This will pave the path towards decarbonisation of the electric power sector. Inverter-based resources are the primary interfacing technology for many renewable sources of energy. They have supplanted synchronous generators in ever growing numbers.
Fusion science involves controlling extreme temperatures and pressures. One function of MARTe is to help control an entire plasma system. This comprises heating, fuelling, shaping and management of superconducting magnets.
Nizar Ben Ayed, Fusion Innovation Technologist at UKAEA, said:
There is a rapidly emerging need for improved control systems that provide system level control in addition to grid level harmonisation across generators and loads. This study has enabled UKAEA and Sygensys to explore the tech transfer potential of our fusion control software to help resolve grid stability issues and prevent blackouts.
Andrew Larkins, CEO, Sygensys, said:
To speed the transition to decarbonisation, systems must be easily maintainable, secure, and interoperable. MARTe certainly shows potential in all of these areas and could prove to be a real asset as it is further developed for commercial use.
As a result of the initial research with Sygensys, MARTe’s user interface will help improve communication between operators and multiple devices. This will also benefit the fusion community. There will be further assessment of the software for potential applications in fusion adjacent sectors such as the automotive and space industries.
MARTe, first developed in 1995 at UKAEA, has continuously improved. It has provided plasma control and protection systems for record-breaking fusion energy machine JET (Joint European Torus). It became open-source in 2010 and adopted internationally for fusion research programmes, including ITER, the larger and more advanced version of JET.
Adam Stephen, Software Control Engineer at UKAEA, added:
Control systems must be easily maintainable, secure and allow users to communicate with multiple devices and applications in a coordinated way. The collaboration with Sygensys demonstrates MARTe’s potential to help the energy grid on its journey to decarbonisation.
Fusion promises to be a safe, low carbon and sustainable part of the world’s future energy supply. It has the potential to provide ‘baseload’ power. This will complement renewable and other low carbon energy sources as a share of many countries’ energy portfolios.