Reducing the impact of wind farms on the electric power system by the use of energy storage. (January 2020)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Simla, Tomasz; Stanek, Wojciech
• Is Part Of: Renewable energy. Volume 145(2020)
• Page Start: 772
• Page End: 782
• Publication Date: 2020-01
• Subjects: Electricity generation -- Energy storage -- Power plant cycling -- Thermo-ecological cost -- Wind power plants; Renewable energy sources -- Periodicals; Power resources -- Periodicals; Énergies renouvelables -- Périodiques; Ressources énergétiques -- Périodiques; 333.794
• DOI: 10.1016/j.renene.2019.06.028
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0960-1481

Abstract

Abstract: The deployment of wind power is rapidly growing worldwide. Intermittent, unpredictable availability of wind energy destabilizes the work of the whole power system, which causes additional consumption of resources. When fossil fuel power plants are affected by this phenomenon, they are forced to cycle (change their load) more often, which results in higher consumption of fuel. This negative effect, expressed by means of thermo-ecological cost (TEC) can be significant in comparison to the TEC of construction phase of wind turbines. TEC is defined as the cumulative consumption of non-renewable exergy connected with the fabrication of a particular product. Power plant cycling could be minimized by applying an energy storage system responding to variations in wind power availability. In the present work, several scheduling strategies for cooperation of an energy storage system with wind turbines are investigated. The effect is assessed in local and global balance boundaries. Employing energy storage reduces the energy losses in thermal power plants, but at the same time, energy losses appear in the storage itself. However, depending on the strategy of energy storage scheduling, in some cases the overall consumption of primary exergy in the whole system may be lower. Highlights: Wind power intermittency has negative impact on thermal power plants. The adverse effect amplifies with increasing wind penetration. Introducing energy storage improves the performance of thermal power plants. Energy losses associated with storage usually exceed losses in thermal power plants. Depending on storage scheduling, overall consumption of primary energy may be lower.