TY  - JOUR
AU  - Schäfer, Benjamin
AU  - Beck, Christian
AU  - Aihara, Kazuyuki
AU  - Witthaut, Dirk
AU  - Timme, Marc
TI  - Non-Gaussian power grid frequency fluctuations characterized by Lévy-stable laws and superstatistics
JO  - Nature energy
VL  - 3
IS  - 2
SN  - 2058-7546
CY  - London
PB  - Nature Publishing Group
M1  - FZJ-2018-05781
SP  - 119 - 126
PY  - 2018
AB  - Multiple types of fluctuations impact the collective dynamics of power grids and thus challenge their robust operation. Fluctuations result from processes as different as dynamically changing demands, energy trading and an increasing share of renewable power feed-in. Here we analyse principles underlying the dynamics and statistics of power grid frequency fluctuations. Considering frequency time series for a range of power grids, including grids in North America, Japan and Europe, we find a strong deviation from Gaussianity best described as Lévy-stable and q-Gaussian distributions. We present a coarse framework to analytically characterize the impact of arbitrary noise distributions, as well as a superstatistical approach that systematically interprets heavy tails and skewed distributions. We identify energy trading as a substantial contribution to today’s frequency fluctuations and effective damping of the grid as a controlling factor enabling reduction of fluctuation risks, with enhanced effects for small power grids.
LB  - PUB:(DE-HGF)16
UR  - <Go to ISI:>//WOS:000425866500012
DO  - DOI:10.1038/s41560-017-0058-z
UR  - https://juser.fz-juelich.de/record/856139
ER  -