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Internet-connected batteries cause minute-by-minute frequency dips on power grids
Researchers have traced puzzling once-a-minute frequency dips on power grids in countries including Ireland, the US, Australia and Malaysia to internet-connected battery systems checking their charge. The finding matters because unexplained or excessive grid oscillations can threaten stable operation, damage power-plant equipment and, in extreme cases, contribute to blackouts.
The team, led by Dirk Witthaut at Germany’s Forschungszentrum Jülich, first investigated hydropower turbines, a known source of very low-frequency oscillations, but could not explain the dips’ precise timing. More than 80 meters installed around the Jülich campus showed a matching signal at a battery storage system: many batteries and data-centre backup power units check their state of charge every minute, with synchronised clocks. In Ireland, where data centres accounted for 18% of electricity demand by 2022, the frequency dip grew from 3 milli-Hertz in 2016 to 12 milli-Hertz in 2021, with some more recent dips exceeding 20 milli-Hertz.
In short
- Synchronous battery checks cause minute-by-minute grid frequency dips.
- The effect is visible across grids worldwide.
- Ireland’s dips rose from 3 to 12 milli-Hertz between 2016 and 2021.
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The case for
Regular battery charge checks can create synchronised frequency dips across power grids, and the reported increase makes it reasonable to investigate whether this activity could threaten stability or equipment. Better coordination, grid monitoring or changes to checking schedules could reduce the risk while preserving the benefits of battery storage and data-centre backup power.
The case against
The reported dips are a potential risk, not evidence that batteries have caused damage or blackouts; grid operators should assess their real-world effects before imposing costly requirements. Battery storage and backup systems support reliable electricity and essential services, so any response should be proportionate and preserve those benefits while addressing demonstrated problems.
Explained simply
Electricity grids need supply and demand to stay closely balanced, and their frequency provides a measure of that balance. In Ireland and many other countries, the standard frequency is 50 hertz; in the US, it is 60 hertz. Small, brief changes are normal, but repeated swings can make the grid harder to manage.
Batteries store electricity for later use, while data centres use backup batteries to keep running if power is interrupted. Connected systems can check their charge automatically, and many are set to do so at the same time each minute. Grid operators and researchers monitor frequency changes because persistent oscillations can affect equipment and, in severe cases, contribute to blackouts.
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Originally published by TechCrunch as “Coordinated disturbances haunt grids worldwide. Here’s how researchers solved the mystery.”.