Integration Studies and Operational Impacts Projects
NREL's integration studies evaluate operating and reliability impacts of higher wind penetrations, calculate the costs of power system operation, and evaluate methods for determining additional reserves. The studies examine the impact of wind energy on time scales that are fundamental for grid operation, and evaluate the impacts and benefits of accurate wind forecasts.
Integration Studies
NREL's Wind Systems Integration team has successfully completed management of two large regional wind integration studies on behalf of the United States Department of Energy. These two studies, covering the western and central/north-eastern parts of the United States, are the largest ever undertaken in the United States. Both studies evaluate wind energy penetrations up to 30% of annual electric energy demand. Although there are some differences in the study objectives and characteristics, a common objective of both studies is to simulate electric system production using realistic model-generated wind energy data that covers three years. In addition to the operational modeling that is performed on an hourly time step, each study also analyzes sub-hourly wind and load data to provide insight into the intra-hour impacts and variability characteristics. Each study also evaluates alternative wind energy build-out scenarios that help to compare the impacts of developing local wind with lower capacity factors to the impacts of more remote wind resources that require more transmission.
NREL's Wind Systems Integration team has also worked with the Nebraska Power Association to conduct a state-wide wind integration study. This work is a result of the U.S. Department of Energy's Wind Program and NREL's interest in advancing the understanding of wind integration impacts in the Western Area Power Administration's service area and among consumer-owned electric power cooperatives. The study evaluates wind penetrations up to 40% of annual electric energy demand in Nebraska and the rest of the Southwest Power Pool. As with the Eastern and Western studies, a primary objective of the study is to evaluate the impact of wind energy on system operations using realistic model generated wind energy data synchronized with load data and state-of-the-art analysis techniques.
NREL's Wind Systems Integration team participated in the Oahu Wind Integration and Transmission Study to examine grid and transmission integration of renewables. The goal of the study was to help stakeholders, especially the utilities and the state, to 1) understand the costs and operating impacts of significant amounts of wind power—up to 400 megawatts (MW) offshore and 100 MW on island—on their island grids, and 2) plan for future transmission.
Learn about the Eastern Wind Integration and Transmission Study, the Western Wind and Solar Integration Study, the Nebraska Statewide Wind Integration Study and the Oahu Wind Integration and Transmission Study.
