Coordination of Renewable Hydro-Wind Units for Enhancing the Hydrothermal Power System Operation

Illinois Institute Of Technology, Chicago IL

Investigators

Abstract

Coordination of Renewable Hydro-Wind Units for Enhancing the Hydrothermal Power System Operation The restructuring of electric power industry and concerns over energy security and global warming have resulted in a rapid deployment of generating units that produce renewable and emission-free energy such as wind power generating units. However, the intermittency and volatility issues of wind energy have introduced new challenges in managing the security of electricity infrastructure. It is the objective of the research effort to develop an integrated framework for firming of wind power generation in electric power systems through novel hydro-wind coordination in an existing hydrothermal power system. As a result, notoriously intermittent and volatile wind power generation will become a dispatchable generation resource with a smaller requirement for spinning reserves and additional transmission capacity. The framework will be implemented and tested as part of a next-generation security-constrained simulation software tool for analyzing the power system economics, security, and environmental issues considering the impacts of wind power intermittency and volatility on power system operations. Intellectual Merit: The coordinated hydro-wind operation will be analyzed and quantified in the study in terms of minimizing the daily operating cost, and satisfying hourly operating constraints, and greenhouse emission constraints. The investigation is important since a high penetration of wind power units is being considered worldwide for satisfying economic objectives as well as operating and environmental constraints in electric power systems. The project team is highly qualified to perform the study and the research and educational facilities at IIT are adequate. Broader Impacts: The effort also applies to other renewable energy forms with similar intermittency and volatility natures, such as solar energy. The implementation of the research results in practical power systems has the potential to enhance the operation of stressed power systems, to reduce the chance of blackouts, to lower the emission of greenhouse gases, and to improve the nation's energy security and sustainability. Educational activities are integrated with research activities enhanced at both undergraduate and graduate levels with broad participation of underrepresented student groups. Minority students are currently engaged and will be further involved in wind energy research. Undergraduate students will participate in the research activities through the designated inter-professional project courses at the home institution. It is also planed to increase public awareness and facilitate the understanding of the complexity of power systems operation among ratepayers, regulators, politicians, utility executives, and market participants.