Appropriate transfer options better integration of renewable energy grid, says NREL

WASHINGTON, D.C. - Adequate transfer--is for example to record transfer to renewable energy, building - an important part like energy storage, with the integration of renewable energy sources to the grid after Lori Bird, senior analyst with the national renewable energy laboratory (NREL).

Some of the most important areas that should keep regulators concerns with regard to the integration of renewable energies are market rules and public relations, in particular for investments, transmission, bird, said during a Feb. 10 Panels as part of the NARUC Winter Committee meetings in Washington, D.C. held, it pointed out that the European countries had problems with the acceptance of the transfer, to accept more than with renewable targets.

When discussing the importance to consider system operations, noted bird Denmark, for example, has very high penetrations of wind energy on his system and could handle it very well located. Some of it is because it's in a pool great power and has a high degree of flexibility, for example the country has access to Norway's hydropower and power cogeneration, which can be used as a form of thermal storage are used and provides additional flexibility.

In contrast Germany said with renewable integration fought has, because it, to the system and less flexible to compensate for a smaller area, bird. Also Germany has pricing no locational marginal, "So there is no financial impact for the overloading of the system", she said.

Spain, a control center for renewable energy, which is a centralized system you mentioned, "where they have a central point of contact with the operator and follow all the output from the renewable generation and they are capable of, large amounts of wind energy on your system to manage."

On grid support, note that is is in the interest of Germany, when the country witnessed a rapid rise in photovoltaics (PVs) and had to change "their grid codes, to ensure that they don't have any small photovoltaic capacity on the system to lose, if gave it a small rate change on the system" she said.

Germany had to retroactively change the inverter on the square for the PV system, she said.

"[T] hat is a lesson for other regions - which is out [questions and] understand what is required on grid support through these renewable facilities" she said.

Is a challenge for the European public engagement around electrical transmission, she said, pointing out that it much concern in terms of aesthetics and interest "when attempting to do, everyone around to handle it."

To learn a lesson from Ireland, that the land transfer at national level to reduce the amount of the necessary local permits coordinated planning and site transmission, she said.

Renewable energy represent challenges to the electrical supply such as non-availability and insecurity, bird said.

"We had always these challenges with load - load different - but the introduction of renewable energy is constantly variability creates a new challenge as well as passing generation and this is so for the grid," she said.

PV systems are subject to, for example, variability of cloud cover, but once to increase the number of PV installations and they are out on the grid, which scattered variability, she said smoothes, adding that is the same thing with wind turbines.

There are a variety of solutions for the integration of renewable energy on the grid, and there is no one, single solution, taking over a grid as each grid can own institutional characteristics, market operations, generation mix and the like, is different, she said.

It is important to check which options are the least cost for a particular grid and that may vary in the course of time, said bird, added that some changes that can be made to help, are integrating renewable of energy faster, markets and balancing over a larger geographical areas

Advanced techniques reduce uncertainty as forecast "better in the handle to get how much wind you're going to have," she noted.

Other options include better use of existing transmission capacity, underused transmission capacity is available, as well as a more flexible generation fleet are sometimes "so it considerable variation over generation sources in relation to how long it takes is up to you to start up, ramp them, what their minimum generation level, and So on, are", she said.

In addition, demand response proved, a useful tool for the integration of renewable energies, as she can help, reduce the amount of the reserves, which are needed on your system.

This article appeared originally on the GenerationHub, released with permission.

View the original article here