Western seeks customers for cost-share wind integration study

Of all of the questions utilities have about wind power, the most fundamental may be, "How will a variable generation source effect our power system operations?" Western is looking for consumer-owned utilities interested in finding the answer.

Western, DOE's Wind and Hydropower Technologies Program and the National Renewable Energy Laboratory are teaming up to conduct wind energy integration studies. Specifically, the study will look at the potential impact to the consumer-owned utility’s transmission or distribution system, balancing operations and cost of service. "These are basic concerns that stand in the way of utilities placing wind generation in their service territories," said Western Renewables Program Manager Randy Manion. "The data from the studies could potentially pave the way to wider wind adoption."

RPSs drive studies

The partnership is looking for public power providers in Western's 15-state territory that are interested in sharing the cost of the study. The project is focusing on consumer-owned utilities because they have lagged behind their investor-owned counterparts in addressing integration issues, explained Brian Parsons, NREL Wind Applications project manager. "IOUs had to meet renewable portfolio standards, so they were motivated to figure out how wind would affect their operations," he said. "Now that RPSs are starting to include municipalities and co-ops, they need to answer these questions, too."

The fact that consumer-owned utilities often have limited staff has prevented them from examining the effects of wind integration, Parsons added. "The cost-sharing aspect of the program is intended as an incentive," he said.

Subject to funding availability, the qualifying utility(s) will receive a minimum of $200,000 to participate. Parsons estimated that the study would take from nine months to one year.

Operations data needed

The project is different than a conventional interconnection study, which assumes that a wind facility is operating at full nameplate output under the worst conditions of the year. "An operational study takes into account the affect of variability on a system," explained Parsons. "Accommodating variability requires a utility to adjust its generators in different ways to balance the load."

Applicants do not need to have an operating wind farm in their service territory or own their own generation and transmission systems. NREL will provide wind data from a Meso model of the selected applicant’s service territory. A Meso model is a computer model of the atmosphere containing all the weather data for one or more years from which site-specific data can be estimated. Meso model data is the basis for time-synchronized power output profiles used in wind energy integration studies. 

Utilities will contribute operational data to the studies, including historic load data and, if possible, load forecast data. This information creates an hour-by-hour simulation of system conditions. Wind data is then applied to the simulation to show how the system will change with the addition of the wind resource. "An important part of the study is that the utility sees the results for itself," said Parsons.

Application information

Utilities wishing to apply for the study should develop a comprehensive wind energy integration analysis proposal. The proposal should demonstrate how the utility will lead the study work and identify key internal staff and/or consultants to conduct the analysis. The Utility Wind Integration Group offers examples of wind grid integration studies and operating impact studies. Participants should be prepared to discuss the results at utility and wind industry forums.

To learn more about the Consumer-owned Utility Wind Grid Integration Cost-share Program, the partnership recommends interested utilities attend a conference call Dec. 6, 11 a.m. MST. Representatives from Western, DOE and NREL will explain the program in depth and answer questions. Contact Debbie Rock at 720-962-7271 to register. Participants will receive conference call instructions the week before the event.