Feeding renewable energy into the power grid
Thorsten Schier / Fotolia
2020-11-18 Testing + Certification

Grid conformity – Testing and Certification at the VDE Institute

The increasing expansion of energy networks with renewable energy poses new challenges to manufacturers, plant operators and system operators alike. Compliance with connection conditions for grid feed-in is an important prerequisite for ensuring the stability and performance of electricity grids. The VDE Testing and Certification Institute offers you all the important tests and certifications related to grid conformity.

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Frauke Schütte

The VDE Institute as a competent partner

Due to its years of experience and great network of manufacturers, grid operators and experts in measurement, testing and certification, the VDE Testing and Certification Institute is a competent point of contact for

Operators of power generation plants (PGP)

  • Wind farms (on-shore/off-shore)
  • Cogeneration units
  • Photovoltaic power plants
  • Hydropower plants

Manufacturers power generation units (PGU) and technical components

  • • Photovoltaic inverters
    • Wind energy generation units
    • Components for the protection of grid connection
    • PGP controllers
    • Combustion engines
    • Energy storage systems
    • Voltage controllers and excitation systems of synchronous generators
    • Auxiliary power units (FRT ability)

Our services at a glance

Many different functions and situations are reviewed when measuring power generation units.
Andrei Merkulov / Fotolia

Measuring power generation units

The extensive experience and neutrality of our experts ensure a professional assessment and testing of power-generation units, where the relevant and country-specific grid codes its resulting test standards and safety standards are considered. These include the following aspects:

  • Provision of active and reactive power
  • System perturbations (harmonic, flicker)
  • Short-circuit current behavior
  • Dynamic behavior in case of error
  • Protective and switch functions
Connecting decentralized energy generation plants to the medium, high or extra-high voltage grid.
Benedikt / adobe

Connecting power generation plants

If you wish to connect your power generation plant (PGP) to a medium, high or extra-high voltage grid, we are glad to assist you from the planning phase to supplying your plants at the appropriate grid level. At the same time, we can assist you through our excellent contacts to grid operators, our plant certificates as well as our PGP declarations of conformity.

Our tests are based on these directives

We are accredited with DAKKS for the standards and directives listed below based on DIN EN ISO/IEC 17025 and DIN EN ISO/IEC 17065.

This accreditation also includes proof of competence in additional fundamental national and international standards and directives, a few examples of which are listed below:

 

  • VDE-AR-N 4100: Technical rules for the connection and operation of customer installations to the low voltage network (TAR Low Voltage)
  • VDE-AR-N 4105: Generators connected to the low-voltage distribution network
  • VDE-AR-N 4110: Technical requirements for the connection and operation of customer installations to the medium voltage network (TAR Medium Voltage)
  • VDE-AR-N 4120: Technical requirements for the connection and operation of customer installations to the high voltage network (TAR High Voltage)
  • VDE-AR-N 4130: Technical requirements for the connection and operation of customer installations to the extra high voltage network (TAR Extra High Voltage)
  • FGW TR 3: Technical directives for generation units and plants - Part 3: Determining the electrical characteristics of generation units and plants on the medium, high and extra-high voltage network (Fördergesellschaft Windenergie und andere Dezentrale Energien [FGW])
  • FGW TR 4: Technical directives for generation units and plants - Part 4: Requirements for modeling and validating the simulation models of the electrical characteristics of generation units and plants (FGW)
  • FGW TR 8: Technical directives for generation units and plants - Part 8: certifying the electrical characteristics of generation units and plants on the medium, high and extra-high voltage network (FGW)
  • Country specific requirements for grid integration/grid code
  • VDE 0124-100: Grid integration of generator plants - Low voltage test requirements for power generation units intended for connection and parallel operation to the low voltage network

Our certifications and tests in grid conformity

VDE test mark
VDE
  • Unit certificates
  • Plant certificates
  • Individual verification procedure
  • Verification of electrical planning
  • Component certificates
  • Prototype declaration
  • Declarations of conformity
  • Type tests on components, generation units or systems (e.g. according to FGW TR 3, VDE 0124-100)
  • Validation of simulation models (e.g. according to FGW TR 4)
  • Stand-alone network identification
  • Country specific requirements for grid integration / grid code
     
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