Dive Brief:
- Wind power can support the power system by adjusting its power output to enhance system reliability, according to a study by the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL).
- Wind farms can provide active power control (APC) – the adjustment of a generator's output to help balance generation and load – which reverses the idea that the grid's resources must be adjusted to accommodate wind.
- Because APC means cutting back on power output at times, there must be an economic incentive for wind farm owners to do it, the report said.
Dive Insight:
NREL's study, which was done in collaboration with the Electric Power Research Institute and the University of Colorado, could change the way wind generation is viewed. Instead of being seen as a “non-dispatchable” resource that the rest of the grid must work around, wind may be able to play a key role in helping manage the system.
"The study's key takeaway is that wind power can act in an equal or superior manner to conventional generation when providing active power control, supporting the system frequency response and improving reliability," NREL Analyst Erik Ela said.
