Study Shows Power Grid Can Accommodate Wind and Solar
The Department of Energy's (DOE) National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) recently released a study that examines the impact of wind and solar power on the power grid.
The Western Wind and Solar Integration Study examines the benefits and challenges of integrating enough wind and solar energy capacity into the grid to produce 35% of its electricity by 2017.
Focusing on the WestConnect group of utilities in the mountain and southwest states, the study found that the 35% target is technically feasible and does not necessitate extensive additional infrastructure, but does require key changes to current operational practice. The study will help utilities plan how to incorporate wind and solar energy plants into the grid.
The study shows that in order to accommodate 30% wind and 5% solar energy penetration, utilities will have to substantially increase their coordination of operations over wider geographic areas and schedule their generation deliveries, or sales, on a more frequent basis.
More frequent scheduling would allow generators to adjust that amount of power based on increases or decreases in available wind or solar power.
The study also found that if utilities generate 27% of their electricity from wind and solar energy across the Western Interconnection grid, it would lower carbon emissions by 25 to 45%. It would also decrease fuel and emissions costs by 40%.
“If key changes can be made to standard operating procedures, our research shows that large amounts of wind and solar can be incorporated onto the grid without a lot of backup generation,” said Dr. Debra Lew, NREL project manager for the study.
“When you coordinate the operations between utilities across a large geographic area, you decrease the effect of the variability of wind and solar energy sources, mitigating the unpredictability of Mother Nature.”
Image courtesy of Peter Craine
Learn more about Wind Power on eBoom's Wind Energy Learning Page.
Learn more about Solar Power at eBoom's Solar Energy Learning Page.
Alison Pruitt is a freelance writer/editor living near Washington DC. She has written about a variety of issues, including education, healthcare, IT, the arts, and energy/environment -- and has worked with the U.S. Department of Energy. She has a B.A. from Oberlin College and a Ph.D. in English Literature from Rutgers University.
Any opinion contained in this article is solely that of the writers, and does not necessarily shapes or reflect the editorial opinions of Energy Boom.
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