Demonstration of HVAC Chiller Control for Power Grid Frequency Regulation

Stable operation of electric power systems requires power supply and demand to be matched on multiple time scales. For short time intervals of seconds to minutes, balance is generally achieved by actively controlling grid resources based on frequency deviations – hence the term frequency regulation. This presentation explores the practicality of using HVAC chillers as a demand side resource to provide frequency regulation ancillary service. Experiments were conducted on two commercial buildings in Boston. Results are discussed in the context of PJM Interconnection’s performance requirements and market structure.