An Analysis of Thermal Plant Flexibility Using a National Generator Performance Database

Rossol, Michael; Brinkman, Gregory; Buster, Grant; Denholm, Paul; Novacheck, Joshua; Stephen, Gordon

doi:10.1021/acs.est.9b04522

Title: An Analysis of Thermal Plant Flexibility Using a National Generator Performance Database

Abstract

Grid integration studies are key to understanding our ability to integrate variable generation resources into the power system and evaluating the associated costs and benefits. In these studies, it is important to understand the flexibility of the thermal power fleet, including how thermal plants operate at part load. Without a comprehensive understanding of thermal plant operation, we may over- or underestimate our ability to integrate variable generation resources and thus draw incomplete or inaccurate conclusions regarding their potential economic and environmental effects. The only public data source for understanding many elements of the operational characteristics of the thermal fleet is the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Clean Air Markets database of historical power plant operation. However, though these data sets have been widely utilized, their use has proven to be difficult, and methods to clean and filter the data are not transparent. Here, we describe the database and a method to clean and filter it. We then use the cleaned database to demonstrate several characteristics of historical plant operation, including frequent part load operation. Finally, we provide a cleaned data set with heat rate curves and describe how to use it in general modeling activities and analysis.

Authors:

^[1]; Brinkman, Gregory ^[1]; Buster, Grant ^[1];

^[1]; Novacheck, Joshua ^[1]; Stephen, Gordon ^[1]

National Renewable Energy Lab. (NREL), Golden, CO (United States)

Publication Date:: 2019-10-23

Research Org.:: National Renewable Energy Lab. (NREL), Golden, CO (United States)

Sponsoring Org.:: USDOE Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE)

OSTI Identifier:: 1573963

Report Number(s):: NREL/JA-6A20-72759
Journal ID: ISSN 0013-936X; MainId:16731;UUID:6428d510-37e1-e811-9c19-ac162d87dfe5;MainAdminID:5209

Grant/Contract Number:: AC36-08GO28308

Resource Type:: Accepted Manuscript

Journal Name:: Environmental Science and Technology

Additional Journal Information:: Journal Volume: 53; Journal Issue: 22; Journal ID: ISSN 0013-936X

Publisher:: American Chemical Society (ACS)

Country of Publication:: United States

Language:: English

Subject:: 24 POWER TRANSMISSION AND DISTRIBUTION; 29 ENERGY PLANNING, POLICY, AND ECONOMY; grid integration; power plant operation; EPA

Citation Formats


                    Rossol, Michael, Brinkman, Gregory, Buster, Grant, Denholm, Paul, Novacheck, Joshua, and Stephen, Gordon. An Analysis of Thermal Plant Flexibility Using a National Generator Performance Database.  United States: N. p., 2019. 
Web.  doi:10.1021/acs.est.9b04522.

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                    Rossol, Michael, Brinkman, Gregory, Buster, Grant, Denholm, Paul, Novacheck, Joshua, & Stephen, Gordon. An Analysis of Thermal Plant Flexibility Using a National Generator Performance Database.  United States.  https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.est.9b04522

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                    Rossol, Michael, Brinkman, Gregory, Buster, Grant, Denholm, Paul, Novacheck, Joshua, and Stephen, Gordon. Wed .  
"An Analysis of Thermal Plant Flexibility Using a National Generator Performance Database".  United States.  https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.est.9b04522.  https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/1573963.

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@article{osti_1573963,

  title        = {An Analysis of Thermal Plant Flexibility Using a National Generator Performance Database},

  author       = {Rossol, Michael and Brinkman, Gregory and Buster, Grant and Denholm, Paul and Novacheck, Joshua and Stephen, Gordon},

  abstractNote = {Grid integration studies are key to understanding our ability to integrate variable generation resources into the power system and evaluating the associated costs and benefits. In these studies, it is important to understand the flexibility of the thermal power fleet, including how thermal plants operate at part load. Without a comprehensive understanding of thermal plant operation, we may over- or underestimate our ability to integrate variable generation resources and thus draw incomplete or inaccurate conclusions regarding their potential economic and environmental effects. The only public data source for understanding many elements of the operational characteristics of the thermal fleet is the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Clean Air Markets database of historical power plant operation. However, though these data sets have been widely utilized, their use has proven to be difficult, and methods to clean and filter the data are not transparent. Here, we describe the database and a method to clean and filter it. We then use the cleaned database to demonstrate several characteristics of historical plant operation, including frequent part load operation. Finally, we provide a cleaned data set with heat rate curves and describe how to use it in general modeling activities and analysis.},

  doi          = {10.1021/acs.est.9b04522},

  journal      = {Environmental Science and Technology},

  number       = 22,

  volume       = 53,

  place        = {United States},

  year         = {2019},

  month        = {10}

}

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