Influence of the wind energy sector on thermal power plants in the Polish energy system. (December 2020)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Simla, Tomasz; Stanek, Wojciech
• Is Part Of: Renewable energy. Volume 161(2020)
• Page Start: 928
• Page End: 938
• Publication Date: 2020-12
• Subjects: Coal-fired power plants -- Electricity generation -- Polish power system -- Power plant cycling -- Wind power integration -- Wind power plants; Renewable energy sources -- Periodicals; Power resources -- Periodicals; Énergies renouvelables -- Périodiques; Ressources énergétiques -- Périodiques; 333.794
• DOI: 10.1016/j.renene.2020.07.122
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0960-1481

Abstract

Abstract: Wind as a renewable energy source is characterized by rapid growth of installed power in many countries, including Poland, where its share in the electricity production has grown over 25 times in the last decade, now reaching about 10%. Since renewable energy has priority in access to the grid, it forces the dispatchable coal-fired power plants to adjust their load. This causes additional consumption of primary energy due to more frequent shut-downs/start-ups and due to efficiency penalty when operating below nominal parameters. In this paper, actual data on the operation of Polish power plants in several years are analysed. The analysis, together with simulations of performance of the power system without the presence of wind energy, focuses on the influence of wind power plants on the utility ones. The results of simulations are additionally processed using the concept of thermo-ecological cost to compare the "operational" impact of wind farms on the power system with their "investment" environmental burden. A conclusion is that current share of wind energy at the level of 10% is enough to have an adverse effect on the coal power plants, but depending on the structure of the power system it may actually increase its overall efficiency. Highlights: Introduction of wind power to the grid disrupts the operation of other power plants. Average efficiency of individual utility power plants decreases. The number of start-up/shut-down procedures greatly increases. Depending on the structure of the system, overall efficiency may actually increase. Thermo-ecological cost of compensation for wind energy is non-negligible.