On spetember 25, IMDEA Energy held the technical workshop “Conexión a Red de Plantas Renovables con Almacenamiento: Retos y Soluciones” (“Connecting Renewable Plants with Storage to the Grid: Challenges and Solutions”); organized by researchers Milan Prodanovic and Javier Roldán from the Electrical Systems Unit.

The event brought together experts from the institute along with professionals from universities, technology centers, and companies in the energy sector, creating a space for exchanging ideas on the main challenges and opportunities in integrating renewable plants with storage systems into the electrical grid.

The opening session was led by Milan Prodanovic, head of the Electrical Systems Unit. Benjamin Paz (Technical Leader, EPRI) then introduced the operational challenges of renewable plants with storage, followed by a presentation from Luis Badesa (Professor, Polytechnic University of Madrid), who shared experiences from the ancillary services markets in the United Kingdom.

Next, Miguel Ochoa (Global Technical Director, Huawei Digital Power) provided a comprehensive overview of grid connection regulations, while Rafael Mallo (Senior Storage Engineer, Iberdrola) presented operational results from real energy storage projects. Marcos Calvo (R&D Director, Isemaren) discussed the advanced features of Power Plant Controllers (PPCs) for hybrid installations, and finally, Javier Roldán, senior researcher at IMDEA Energía’s Electrical Systems Unit, addressed the role of grid-forming technologies in the evolution of electrical systems.

The presentations highlighted the need to combine scientific knowledge, industrial experience, and appripiate regulatory development to advanced toward a more flexible, efficient, and resilient electrical system.

The workshop concluded with a visit to IMDEA Energy’s Smart Energy Integration Laboratory (SEIL), where participants had the opportunity to see firsthand the institute’s infrastructure and research lines focused on integrating renewable energy with grid-connected storage.