Title:
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Integrating wind power in EU electricity systems
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Author(s):
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Published by:
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Publication date:
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ECN
Policy Studies
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1-2-2005
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ECN report number:
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Document type:
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ECN-C--05-019
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ECN publication
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Number of pages:
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Full text:
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53
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Download PDF
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Abstract:
In view of the ongoing process of liberalisation of the electricitymarket and the expected increase of wind power pursuant the RES-E Directive
and the need to minimise the costs of the RES-E targets, this study
discusses the technical and economic impacts of integrating wind power
into the electricity system. Furthermore, two options for reducing costs
of intermittency are researched: forecasting of wind power output and
electricity storage. An increasing penetration of wind power into the
electricity system causes additional costs, partly due to the fact that
the energy source of wind power is uncontrollable, variable (on the
short term as well as on the longer term), and unpredictable (especially
on the longer term). Consequently, balancing generation and demand becomes
more complicated, creating a need for additional secondary and tertiary
control. Although the sources of increasing costs are becoming more
clearly understood, as are means to mitigate them, the quantification
of costs of operating an electricity system with high wind penetration
is very hard. Two possible options to reduce costs of intermittency
are discussed in this report: forecasting of wind power output and electric-ity
storage. The need for and benefit of wind energy forecasting have been
increasingly recognised in recent years. Forecasting of wind power directs
on increasing the predictability of the resource and im-proved forecasting
can help to enhance the balancing of supply and demand. DG operators
can provide better information about their expected power output, energy
suppliers can submit bet-ter estimates of electricity production to
the TSO, and system operators can improve network management through
better information about expected power flows. Electricity storage systems
can, at the same time, offer different services to a number of actors.
Next to benefits that result from price arbitrage, energy suppliers
can better comply with their submitted demand and production estimates
and will be able to reduce balancing costs, and DG operators can optimise
the output of their generation facilities. DSOs and TSOs will be able
to limit extreme situations due to low demand in combination with high
peaks in power supply (or vice versa) and will be able to stabilise
conditions in the grid (i.e. maintain power quality and provide balance
in energy and/or reactive power).
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