Economic and financial benefits for wind turbines providing frequency response exploiting the kinetic energy or operating part‐loaded. Issue 20 (20th July 2020)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Trovato, Vincenzo; Conenna, Domenica; Dicorato, Maria; Forte, Giuseppe; Trovato, Michele
• Is Part Of: IET generation, transmission & distribution. Volume 14:Issue 20(2020)
• Page Start: 4371
• Page End: 4387
• Publication Date: 2020-07-20
• Subjects: frequency response -- power markets -- offshore installations -- wind turbines -- wind power plants -- power generation economics -- optimisation -- power generation control; part‐load operation -- kinetic energy -- financial benefits -- financial viability -- wind farm project -- frequency response service -- control strategies -- frequency response provision -- wind turbines -- wind availability -- real‐time operation -- energy market -- forecasted wind values -- available wind values -- Teesside offshore wind farm -- frequency response capability -- economic benefits -- wake effect -- two‐stage optimisation model; Electric power production -- Periodicals; Electric power transmission -- Periodicals; Electric power distribution -- Periodicals; 621.3105
• DOI: 10.1049/iet-gtd.2020.0010
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1751-8687

Abstract

Abstract : This work assesses the financial viability of a wind farm where turbines are equipped to provide frequency services. Two control strategies are compared: the former enables the frequency response provision by operating the turbines part loaded, the latter employs the kinetic energy stored in the turbines' rotating masses. The analysis accounts for typical factors affecting the wind farm operation, the wake effect and the forecast errors on wind availability. A two‐stage optimisation model determines the day‐ahead and (close to) real‐time operation of the turbines, which profit from selling energy at the wholesale market (including subsidies), receiving availability payments for frequency services, while facing imbalance costs due to mismatches between forecasted and available wind. The two control strategies are applied to the Teesside Offshore Farm and the economic and financial performance are evaluated against a base case where the turbines do not provide frequency response service. Under current settings, the added value from frequency response capability is marginal. Changes to the market value of frequency services would favour the strategy based on part‐load operation of the turbines. The scheme based on the deployment of kinetic energy becomes profitable when the duration of time window for frequency response reduces.