Evolution of operating reserve determination in wind power integration studies

The growth of wind power as an electrical power generation resource has produced great benefits with reductions in emissions and the supply of zero cost fuel. It also has created challenges for the operation of power systems arising from the increased variability and uncertainty it has introduced. A number of studies have been performed over the past decade to analyze the operational impacts that can occur at high penetrations of wind. One of the most crucial impacts is the amount of incremental operating reserves required due to the variability and uncertainty of wind generation. This paper describes different assumptions and methods utilized to calculate the amount of different types of reserves carried, and how these methods have evolved as more studies have been performed.

I. Introduction

Wind power has seen rapid growth in the past decade. Its zero-cost fuel and emissions-free output provide great benefits to consumers and society. Utility-scale wind is a new resource and is increasing at such a rapid rate that utilities and system operators are becoming concerned about the integration issues and costs that it introduces. Wind power integration studies have been performed by numerous entities to help understand and quantify these impacts [1], [2]. The studies typically simulate a future power system with high wind penetrations, and evaluate the impacts on the grid and the incremental operating costs that result [3]. These studies have been maturing continuously as the state of the art advances, with each study generally building on previous studies.