Features of the Operation of Wind Power Plants in an Electric Power System

One of the problems of the integration of renewable energy sources, such as wind power plants (WPP), into electric power systems is their variable power generation. This problem has a significant impact on the operating conditions of conventional power plants, including flexibility, start-ups and shutdowns of power-generating units. Studying in advance the wind-speed patterns and, hence, the output patterns of WPPs, it is possible to assess the readiness of the existing conventional power plants to follow a variable load schedule and, based on the results, to decide on either limitation of the installed capacity of WPPs or introduction of additional highly flexible capacities. The problem is solved by analyzing the irregularity of the daily power output of WPPs. The dynamic irregularity factor is used as an example to demonstrate the effectiveness of long-term data, which allow identifying characteristic operating conditions of WPPs. The higher the installed capacity of WPPs, the stronger the impact. However, its adverse component can be reduced by spacing WPPs far apart and choosing optimal locations for them. © 2021, Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature.