Mystery of 60-Second Fluctuations in Power Grids Solved

Every minute, power grids experience brief fluctuations in electricity demand, according to a study by researchers from Forschungszentrum Jülich, the University of Cologne, and the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology. These fluctuations are caused by regular power checks performed by large-scale battery storage systems, which check their state of charge every minute.

This discovery could help improve the robustness of electricity supply systems, as the study reports in Nature Energy. The regular 60-second pattern was previously unclear, but the researchers have now identified the cause. It appears that the clock is controlling the synchronization of electricity consumption among many devices, including battery storage systems.

The study suggests that battery manufacturers may have chosen the 60-second interval arbitrarily, as there are no binding standards for power checks. The periodic fluctuations could increase wear and tear on power generators and impact hydroelectric power stations. Solutions to the problem include randomizing power checks instead of synchronizing them at the same time.