Electricity generated by wind power in New York reached a new record at the start of March, according to the New York Independent System Operator (NYISO).
According to the NYISO, the new record is 1,524 MW, set during the 1 p.m. hour on March 2. At the time of the record, wind energy provided 7% of the 20,894 MW of New York's total system demand.
Because a wind resource's ability to generate electricity depends on the force and duration of wind, its output may not always match the system's demand for electricity. The NYISO integrates wind resources through its forecasting techniques and power dispatch procedures.
The NYISO developed procedures and deployed software to collect forecasts and real-time meteorological data from generating sites to predict the output of each facility. Wind power data is fed directly into the NYISO operational systems that determine the balance of electricity supply and demand. The NYISO dispatches resources to meet electrical demand using a least-cost, bid-based system that recognizes transmission constraints and reliability requirements.
The NYISO was the first grid operator in the nation to enhance its wind management system by enabling wind plant operators to submit offer prices that reflected their cost of operation. That competitive bid process allows the NYISO to evaluate wind power alongside all other generating resources.
New York's total wind capacity is currently 1.7 GW, with another 2 GW of wind power proposals being studied by the NYISO for interconnection to the grid.
