System reliability in electric utility systems with independent wind and solar generation
- Georgia Inst. of Tech., Atlanta, GA (United States). School of Electrical and Computing Engineering
The use of alternative energy sources for the generation of electricity in the United States is increasing due to a growing concern about the environmental impact of burning fossil fuels. While alternative energy sources have their benefits, the inherent randomness of wind and solar energy can cause reliability problems for the power grid. Because of changes in the public policy of the US Congress and state governments, utilities are evolving toward a more distributed system with increasing amounts of non-utility generation. This evolution may improve the prospects for PV and other alternative energy sources as they gradually become cost competitive with other types of distributed generation such as gas turbines or cogeneration. This paper provides an overview of a methodology developed to integrate wind and solar energy sources into the electric utility generation mix. The wind and solar energy sources are assumed to be owned and operated by small power producing facilities (SPPF`s). The SPPF`s buy and sell electricity at prices determined by the local utility according to the time-of-day (spot pricing). During each time period, each SPPF makes its own decision whether to buy or sell power. The buy-or-sell decision depends on the price, the energy needs of the SPPF, and the amount of energy available to the SPPF from other sources.
- Research Organization:
- Illinois Inst. of Tech., Chicago, IL (United States)
- OSTI ID:
- 697230
- Report Number(s):
- CONF-990410-PROC.-Vol.1; TRN: IM9946%%616
- Resource Relation:
- Conference: 61. American power conference annual meeting, Chicago, IL (United States), 6-8 Apr 1999; Other Information: PBD: 1999; Related Information: Is Part Of Proceedings of the American power conference: Volume 61-1; McBride, A.E. [ed.]; PB: 540 p.
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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