An assessment of power system principles of access for wind power using optimal power flow

• Main Author: Kane, Laura
• Published: University of Strathclyde 2015
• Subjects: 621.3
• Online Access: http://ethos.bl.uk/OrderDetails.do?uin=uk.bl.ethos.655498

The growth of renewable generation (and wind generation in particular) in distribution networks is leading to the development of Active Network Management (ANM) strategies and solutions. ANM systems aim to increase the capacity of renewable and distributed generation that can connect to power networks. One such ANM strategy is generation curtailment where distributed generation is given a non-firm connection under which the network operator instructs the generator to reduce its power output under specified conditions and this is practically achieved through the implementation of automatic controls in the ANM system. The rules which define the method of curtailment are often referred to as Principles of Access (PoA). The UK is currently at the forefront of ANM research and there are a number of full scale trials in Orkney [1], Shetland [2] and Cambridgeshire [3]. All of these schemes will apply PoA for curtailment of wind generators. There has been little research undertaken to date on alternative PoA for non-firm wind generation other than those implemented in these trial schemes. This research performs a qualitative analysis of PoA using industry recognised assessment criteria, and a quantitative analysis of PoA using an Optimal Power Flow (OPF) method. Business models present a means of recovering the costs of ANM and compares this to the cost of traditional methods of network reinforcement. Alternative PoA can have a significant impact on the capacity factor of generators and a PoA which implements a market system is found to deliver the best result for both network and generator. Alternatively, PoA which distribute curtailment more evenly across generators such as Pro Rata provide an increase in capacity factor for generators lower in the priority stack under a LIFO arrangement.