The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) has commissioned a new study that will use frequency response to assess reliable integration of wind and other renewable energy resources.
According to FERC, this is the first time anyone has looked at using frequency response to objectively determine how much renewable energy can be reliably integrated into the bulk power system.
This is particularly important given state renewable energy goals and the recent efforts to pass a national renewable electricity standard, says FERC. Chairman Jon Wellinghoff's stated goals for FERC include integration of energy efficiency, demand response and renewable resources into the grid for the benefit of consumers around the country with no harm to the reliability of the bulk power system.
FERC will use the results of the study, which will be conducted by Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, to validate an approach to assess the reliability impacts of integrating renewables into the grid.
The study's goals include the following:
– determining if frequency response is an appropriate metric to assess the reliability impacts of integrating renewables;
– using the resulting metric to assess the reliability impact of various levels of renewables on the grid; and
– identifying what further work and studies are necessary to quantify and mitigate any reliability impacts associated with the integration of renewables.
The study should be completed in six months.
SOURCE: Federal Energy Regulatory Commission
