I do not believe that any centralised clock would help.

The problem is that inverters have no inertia and can not help stabilise the grid frequency.

A steam turbine has considerable inertia, and in case of a frequency drop will "try" to limit the drop in frequency. As the turbine slows, the governor detects this and supplies more steam, the resulting drop in boiler pressure will result in the fuel supply being increased.

The stored rotational energy is supplied in milliseconds, and the energy stored by the steam in the boiler is applied within a second or so, the chemical energy stored in fuel bunker can be applied at an increased rate within a few minutes.


None of this is possible with wind or solar generators and static inverters. They supply into grid whatever the wind or solar source can supply. There is no question of briefly supplying a bit more in response to a falling frequency.


Short term grid storage, mechanical flywheels, or batteries for example will be needed, trial installations are already underway.

I do not believe that any centralised clock would help.

The problem is that inverters have no inertia and can not help stabilise the grid frequency.

A steam turbine has considerable inertia, and in case of a frequency drop will "try" to limit the drop in frequency. As the turbine slows, the governor detects this and supplies more steam, the resulting drop in boiler pressure will result in the fuel supply being increased.

The stored rotational energy is supplied in milliseconds, and the energy stored by the steam in the boiler is applied within a second or so, the chemical energy stored in fuel bunker can be applied at an increased rate within a few minutes.


None of this is possible with wind or solar generators and static inverters. They supply into grid whatever the wind or solar source can supply. There is no question of briefly supplying a bit more in response to a falling frequency.


Short term grid storage, mechanical flywheels, or batteries for example will be needed, trial installations are already underway.