Smart Automation in Renewable Energy: Transforming İzdemir Solar into a Next-Gen Power Plant

Executive Summary

As utility-scale solar grows, operators face rising pressure to comply with strict grid regulations around frequency, reactive power, and dispatch precision. Manual or semi-automated plants often struggle with inefficiencies, instability, and costly penalties.

inavitas developed an advanced energy automation system that transforms traditional plants into fully intelligent assets. At İzdemir Solar Power Plant, one of Türkiye’s largest facilities, this system now delivers real-time control, dynamic grid response, and full TEİAŞ compliance through a modular RTU/PLC architecture and integrated SCADA.

This white paper details the İzdemir transformation and outlines how similar solar farms can leverage automation to increase efficiency, resilience, and regulatory alignment all without compromising output or safety.

Introduction

As utility-scale solar continues to expand across global energy markets, grid operators are placing increasing demands on plant operators to deliver not just clean energy—but controllable, stable, and intelligent energy. In Türkiye, these expectations are formalized through the grid operator, TEİAŞ, regulations that mandate dynamic active power curtailment, voltage-reactive compensation, and frequency control, often with sub-second precision.

For many solar operators, legacy infrastructure and manual operations fall short of these requirements. The result: energy curtailment, grid code violations, reactive power penalties, and operational inefficiencies that undermine both profitability and grid stability.

inavitas addresses this challenge by offering a next-generation energy automation platform that transforms traditional solar plants into fully intelligent, grid-responsive assets. Through seamless integration of real-time monitoring, control algorithms, and standardized communication protocols, İnavitas enables plant operators to achieve full regulatory compliance, improve system reliability, and unlock hidden operational efficiency.

This white paper presents the İzdemir Solar Power Plant as a benchmark implementation of İnavitas’ automation architecture. With 165 MW of installed capacity, 520+ inverters, and a complex operational environment, İzdemir demonstrates how automation can deliver measurable, scalable improvements in performance, safety, and compliance—without requiring a complete overhaul of the plant’s hardware infrastructure.

Problems

Operating a large-scale solar power facility like İzdemir presents a unique set of real-time control and compliance challenges, especially under the evolving requirements of the TEİAŞ Prior to the implementation of advanced automation systems, the İzdemir Solar Power Plant faced several key limitations that restricted both efficiency and regulatory alignment.

1. Active Power Limitation under Demand Constraints

During periods of reduced grid demand or scheduled curtailment, the plant lacked a dynamic mechanism to adjust active power output in real time. This resulted in either excess generation that risked grid instability or overly conservative manual reductions that limited plant efficiency.

2. Reactive Power Control Limitations

Voltage management through reactive power was handled manually or through static settings. This created inefficiencies and left the plant vulnerable to voltage deviations — a critical metric monitored by TEİAŞ. Without automated reactive power support or busbar voltage tracking, the plant struggled to provide consistent grid support.

3. Lack of Automated Frequency Support

Grid frequency fluctuations require immediate response from generation assets. However, İzdemir’s control infrastructure could not dynamically adjust output in relation to real-time frequency changes. This limited the plant’s ability to meet TEİAŞ specifications for frequency response behavior — especially above 50.2 Hz, where active power curtailment is required.

4. Manual Control Across Distributed Infrastructure

Reactive power settings and other control commands were distributed manually across over 500 inverters and 58 dataloggers. This decentralized approach introduced latency, operational inconsistency, and human error risks, especially during fast-changing grid events or emergencies.

Solutions

To overcome the operational challenges at the İzdemir Solar Power Plant, inavitas deployed a comprehensive suite of energy automation tools designed to deliver high-speed control, centralized coordination, and full compliance with TEİAŞ grid regulations. The system integrates advanced real-time control algorithms with a robust communication architecture, enabling the plant to dynamically respond to grid demands across active power, reactive power, and frequency domains.

The automation solution is implemented directly on RTU/PLC controllers and interfaces with the plant’s distributed infrastructure of inverters and dataloggers. The result is a coordinated, high-resolution control environment that enables fast, synchronized responses across the entire site.

1. Dynamic Active Power Limitation

The Dynamic Active Power Limit Algorithm operates as a closed-loop control mechanism within the RTU/PLC execution cycle, recalculating active power setpoints every 100 milliseconds. By processing real-time telemetry from inverters, grid reference signals, and operating conditions, the algorithm enforces compliance with both regulatory constraints and plant-level optimization goals.

This high-frequency execution allows the system to:

• Rapidly adapt to irradiance fluctuations
• Respond to curtailment commands
• Maintain synchronized inverter behavior across the site

The result is stable, compliant power output — even under volatile grid conditions.

2. Reactive Power Control Modes

Reactive power compensation at İzdemir is managed through two primary modes, selected based on real-time operational needs:

a) Fixed Reactive Power Control

In this mode, operators enter a fixed reactive power setpoint aligned with the plant’s immediate grid support requirements. This setpoint is distributed to all dataloggers across the site, ensuring uniform reactive output from all inverters.

b) Reactive Power Support – Q(V) Control

When operating under TEİAŞ-provided voltage setpoints, the system engages Q(V) control mode. The controller continuously monitors the plant’s busbar voltage and compares it to target levels.

If voltage deviations exceed 10% of the reference value, the system automatically adjusts reactive output — providing either capacitive or inductive support as needed. Control commands are transmitted to the dataloggers every 100 milliseconds, enabling precise and responsive voltage stabilization across the plant.

3. Automated Frequency Support

To comply with TEİAŞ frequency response requirements, the plant must reduce active power output as grid frequency rises above 50.2 Hz. inavitas developed a dedicated frequency support algorithm to meet this need.

Key features of the frequency support control:

• Activation begins when frequency exceeds 50.2 Hz
• Active power is curtailed progressively, following TEİAŞ-defined reduction ratios
• At 51.5 Hz, the algorithm reduces plant generation to zero
• All control actions are automated and dynamically adjusted based on real-time frequency measurements

This functionality ensures that İzdemir contributes to grid stability under frequency stress conditions, without requiring operator intervention.

Communication and Data Management

The İzdemir Solar Power Plant employs a robust and scalable communication infrastructure designed to support seamless integration between field devices, controllers, and the SCADA system. By combining multiple standardized protocols, the system ensures reliable, secure, and real-time data exchange across all levels of operation from inverter control to national grid communication.

1. Local Communication: Modbus Protocol

For internal communication within the plant, Modbus is used extensively to connect dataloggers, inverters, and RTU/PLC controllers. Devices are configured to operate as both Modbus clients and servers, enabling two-way communication for:

• Real-time data acquisition
• Distribution of control commands
• Status monitoring of individual devices
• Seamless integration with third-party hardware

This standardized approach allows for interoperability between heterogeneous systems while maintaining high data reliability and responsiveness.

2. Grid-Level Communication: IEC 60870-5-104 Protocol (IEC 104)

To facilitate communication with the national transmission operator, TEİAŞ, the plant uses the IEC 104 protocol. This protocol enables secure and standardized transmission of critical operational data to the grid control center, including:

• Active and reactive power measurements
• Voltage and frequency values
• Alarm signals and system faults
• Remote control commands and acknowledgements

The use of IEC 104 ensures compliance with TEİAŞ requirements and supports real-time supervisory control and data acquisition by the grid operator.

3. Unified Infrastructure for Local and Remote Control

By combining Modbus for intra-plant operations and IEC 104 for grid communication, the İzdemir Solar Power Plant achieves a fully integrated and transparent control architecture. This dual-protocol setup enables:

• End-to-end data visibility across the plant and the grid
• Coordinated control between local automation systems and national operators
• High system reliability and regulatory compliance
• Scalable infrastructure for future capacity expansion or hybrid integration

Scada Systems: Operational Visibility and Secure Control

The İzdemir Solar Power Plant utilizes a centralized SCADA system to monitor, manage, and optimize the plant’s performance in real time. Designed for both reliability and usability, the system provides operators with a secure interface for observing all critical parameters, executing control commands, and responding to events as they occur.

The SCADA platform is fully integrated with the plant’s internal and external communication protocols—namely Modbus for field-level device communication and IEC 60870-5-104 (IEC 104) for grid-level data exchange with TEİAŞ. This dual-protocol integration ensures seamless supervision across both local operations and national grid interaction.

SCADA Interface Capabilities

Real-Time Monitoring

• Visualizes active and reactive power production
• Tracks inverter performance and grid parameters continuously
• Provides a comprehensive view of plant-wide operating conditions

Alarm and Event Management

• Enables early detection and classification of system faults
• Supports prompt response and fault resolution through automated alerts
• Improves plant availability and reduces unplanned downtime

Historical Data and Reporting

• Records operational data for performance analysis and diagnostics
• Supports regulatory reporting and compliance documentation
• Enables trend analysis for optimization and maintenance planning

Control Functionality

• Allows operators to issue manual or automatic control commands
• Provides a secure and intuitive HMI (Human-Machine Interface)
• Supports both local and remote operation for full operational flexibility

By unifying plant monitoring and control functions within a single SCADA environment, İzdemir achieves efficient, transparent, and scalable operations. This architecture ensures not only operational continuity but also regulatory alignment and future readiness.

Redundancy and Reliability

To guarantee high availability and operational stability, the İzdemir Solar Power Plant has been designed with redundancy across all critical systems. This approach minimizes the risk of single points of failure and ensures uninterrupted plant performance, even in the event of hardware or communication disruptions.

Redundant System Components

Controllers (RTUs/PLCs):
All controllers are configured in an active–standby setup. In the event of a failure in the active unit, the standby controller immediately takes over operations without loss of functionality. This ensures continuous execution of control algorithms and grid compliance protocols.

Communication Infrastructure:
The plant’s communication network includes redundant paths and switches to secure consistent data flow between field devices, the SCADA system, and the control center. This design prevents data loss and maintains reliable command transmission, even during partial network outages.

By implementing redundancy at both the control and communication levels, the İzdemir Solar Power Plant achieves a resilient automation architecture. This allows for uninterrupted monitoring, control, and compliance with national grid requirements, even under adverse conditions or hardware faults.

Benefits of the Automation System

The automation system deployed at the İzdemir Solar Power Plant delivers a wide range of operational, technical, and strategic advantages. Above all, it guarantees full compliance with TEİAŞ regulations by automatically managing active power limitation, reactive power support, and frequency control in real time. This ensures that the plant consistently meets grid requirements without relying on manual intervention.

Reliability is further strengthened by redundant configurations across controllers, communication infrastructure, and power supplies. With active–standby RTUs/PLCs and dual network paths, the plant is able to maintain continuous operation even in the event of hardware faults or communication failures. Combined with the Zenon SCADA interface, operators benefit from full real-time visibility, fast fault detection, and secure manual or automated control, ensuring that operational continuity is never compromised.

The system also improves efficiency through advanced control algorithms that optimize active and reactive power dispatch. By dynamically adjusting to changing grid and environmental conditions, the automation platform maximizes energy output while maintaining stability. In parallel, continuous data logging provides transparency across plant operations, supporting performance analysis, predictive maintenance, and regulatory reporting.

Finally, the architecture is designed for scalability and safety. Its modular design allows for future expansion of capacity or integration with additional protocols, making it adaptable to evolving energy demands. At the same time, automated alarm management, protective control logic, and fault detection features reduce risks for both personnel and equipment. Taken together, these benefits transform İzdemir Solar into a smart, resilient, and future-ready facility capable of operating efficiently under the most demanding conditions.

Results

The implementation of inavitas’ advanced automation system at the İzdemir Solar Power Plant has resulted in a high-performance, fully grid-compliant renewable energy facility. By integrating real-time control algorithms, redundant infrastructure, and a robust communication framework, the plant has been transformed into an intelligent and adaptive energy asset.

Key components of the system include:

• Redundant RTUs/PLCs for uninterrupted operation
• Real-time SCADA supervision via the Zenon platform
• Dual-protocol communication with Modbus for internal control and IEC 104 for TEİAŞ grid integration
• Proprietary algorithms for dynamic active power limitation, reactive power control, and frequency support

Performance Outcomes

• The plant operates with full compliance to TEİAŞ regulations across active power, reactive power, and frequency domains
• Rapid responsiveness to grid events and environmental changes is achieved through 100 ms control cycles
• System redundancy ensures continuous availability and fault resilience
• The modular design supports future scalability and functional expansion

This automation framework enables the İzdemir Solar Power Plant to maintain maximum efficiency and stability under dynamic grid conditions. Additionally, the system's transparency, scalability, and reliability position İzdemir as a reference project—showcasing İnavitas’ ability to deliver future-ready automation solutions for utility-scale renewable energy operations.

Conclusion

As renewable energy capacity continues to scale, grid compliance, operational agility, and system intelligence are no longer optional, they are essential. The İzdemir Solar Power Plant demonstrates how inavitas’ automation platform delivers these outcomes in practice, transforming complex infrastructure into a responsive, resilient, and future-ready energy asset.

Through a combination of real-time control, high-frequency automation, standardized communication protocols, and modular system design, İnavitas enables solar plants to exceed regulatory expectations while optimizing performance and reliability.

The success of the İzdemir project is not only a proof point for advanced automation — it is a benchmark for what is now possible in utility-scale renewable operations.

To learn more about how inavitas can help your energy project achieve full automation and grid integration, contact us to schedule a consultation or technical demonstration.