Quantifying the Total Net Benefits of Grid Integrated Wind

Abstract

Abstract-Throughout the world significant development is being encouraged in wind energy for electricity generation. A complete cost benefit analysis has been conducted in this paper on the impacts of grid connected wind generation. A dispatch model is used to determine the dispatches upon which the costs and benefits can be ascertained for different wind capacities, plant mixes and loads. These costs and benefits are then used to generate net benefit curves for wind generation and the level where the costs exceed the benefits is established. These penetration levels can then be used by policy makers to determine the appropriate quantity of wind generation to promote. A large number of assumptions are tested and it was found that increased interconnection, high CO2 prices and a flexible plant mix are particularly beneficial for wind generation, and that there are positive net benefits for wind energy penetrations of 17% and higher under the chosen set of assumptions for the test system.

Planning and operating non-firm distributed generation

“…Both figures are based on constraint breaches at bus C. The cycling cost was estimated to be approximately e12 per MWh cycled [12]. A number of rules were drawn up for the redispatch of the dispatchable generation.…”

“…Even small changes in output are significant as many small cycles add up and contribute to real damage [11]. Using the methodology described in [12], the cost of cycling a biomass generator is calculated here. Similarly there is a cost associated with cycling other thermal generators, which could also be calculated in a similar fashion.…”

CO2 Abatement from RES Injections in the German Electricity Sector: Does a CO2 Price Help?

“…This is a straight-forward way to calculated emission reductions; yet, there is another literature that argues, especially for wind energy injections into the electricity grid, that the combination of intermittency and reduced utilization leads to decreased efficiency in the operation of fossil-generating plants and therefore to a smaller reduction of emissions than suggested by estimates that ignore these power system dynamics (Denny and O'Malley, 2006;Denny and O'Malley, 2007). Lang (2009) has even gone so far as to argue that the fuel inefficiencies created by intermittent injections in integrated electricity grids result in negligible if any net reductions of emissions.…”

A Net-Present Value Analysis for a Wind Turbine Purchase at a Small US College

“…The major benefits include increased capacity (i.e., new capacity added to the grid), reduced emissions (of both greenhouse gasses and conventional air pollution), and fuel savings [6]. Further importance of wind power stems from it being a partial solution to the problem of energy security.…”