Electricity systems can cope with large-scale wind power
Research
by TU Delft proves that Dutch power stations are able to cope at any time in the
future with variations in demand for electricity and supply of wind power, as
long as use is made of up-to-date wind forecasts. candidate Bart Ummels also
demonstrates that there is no need for energy storage facilities. Ummels will
receive his PhD on this topic on Thursday 26 February. Wind is variable and can
only partially be predicted. The large-scale use of wind power in the
electricity system is therefore tricky. PhD candidate Bart Ummels MSc.
investigated the consequences of using a substantial amount of wind power within
the Dutch electricity system. He used simulation models, such as those developed
by Dutch transmission system operator TenneT, to pinpoint potential problems
(and solutions).
His results indicate that wind power requires greater
flexibility from existing power stations. Sometimes larger reserves are needed,
but more frequently power stations will have to decrease production in order to
make room for wind-generated power. It is therefore essential to continually
recalculate the commitment of power stations using the latest wind forecasts.
This reduces potential forecast errors and enables wind power to be integrated
more efficiently.
Ummels
looked at wind power up to 12 GW, 8 GW of which at sea, which is enough to meet
about one third of the Netherlands' demand for electricity. Dutch power stations
are able to cope at any time in the future with variations in demand for
electricity and supply of wind power, as long as use is made of up-to-date,
improved wind forecasts. It is TenneT's task to integrate large-scale wind power
into the electricity grid. Lex Hartman, TenneT's Director of Corporate
Development: "in a joint effort, TU Delft and TenneT further developed the
simulation model that can be used to study the integration of large-scale wind
power. The results show that in the Netherlands we can integrate between 4 GW
and 10 GW into the grid without needing any additional measures.
Surpluses
Ummels:
'Instead of the common question 'What do we do when the wind isn't blowing?',
the more relevant question is 'Where do we put all the electricity if it is very
windy at night?'. This is because, for instance, a coal-fired power station
cannot simply be turned off. One solution is provided by the international trade
in electricity, because other countries often can use the surplus. Moreover, a
broadening of the 'opening hours' of the international electricity market
benefits wind power. At the moment, utilities determine one day ahead how much
electricity they intend to purchase or sell abroad. Wind power can be better
used if the time difference between the trade and the wind forecast is
smaller.'
No
energy storage
Ummels'
research also demonstrates that energy storage is not required. The results
indicate that the international electricity market is a promising and cheaper
solution for the use of wind power.
Making
power stations more flexible is also better than storage. The use of heating
boilers, for instance, means that combined heat and power plants operate more
flexibly, which can consequently free up capacity for wind power at night.
