Customer Newsletter, April 2010
Wind Integration Study Published by NPA
In March, the Nebraska Power
Association's (NPA) Board of Directors published
results of a year-long, statewide study
that determined various cost and operational
impacts of adding large amounts of wind-powered
generation to the state's electric power
grid.
The study group looked at what it would
cost to integrate wind-powered resources into
the state's existing generation mix at much
higher levels than exists today. The specific
levels evaluated included new wind-powered
generation, as a percent of total Nebraska
electricity needs, at 10, 20 and 40 percent
levels for the base year 2018.
"Because there is no economical way to
store large amounts of electricity, utilities
must balance the electricity generated by
power plants with the consumer's demand for
that energy instantaneously," explains Clint
Johannes, chair of the NPA joint planning committee
that helped author the study. "Adding
more wind-powered generation, which is a
variable resource, changes the way utility
operators achieve this balance and impacts
how and when existing thermal-based units,
such as coal and natural gas-fired facilities,
generate."
A key finding of the study revealed that
in addition to the physical infrastructure and
operating costs for the wind turbines and
equipment and the associated transmission
facilities, there is an extra 10 percent cost for
the wind energy to the Nebraska utilities, or
$5.41 a megawatt-hour, to integrate the wind
generation into the state’s resource generation mix. This cost was evaluated at the 10 percent
wind generation level and takes into consideration
the expense of using other generation facilities
to help balance the wind resource's added
variability and uncertainty.
Results of the study were determined by
using large-scale computer models and data from
an existing three-year database of wind details.
The study looked at year 2018 across a broad 25-
state area.
"Since Nebraska is part of the Eastern
Interconnection, which electrically interconnects
the eastern two-thirds of the United States,
changes in the levels of wind-powered generation
in Nebraska impacts the entire region either
directly or indirectly," said Johannes. "Nebraska's
generating utilities, which are part of regional
operating systems, must consider these impacts
both inside and outside of the state."
The Nebraska wind-powered generation
amounts modeled range from 1,249 to 4,727
megawatts, which is 8 to 31 times the amount of
wind-powered generation currently operating in
the state. This compares to approximately 8,700
megawatts of other "non-wind" generation
resources expected to be available in Nebraska in
2018.
"Some generating utilities in Nebraska have
put into place strategic goals of adding 10 percent
renewable generation resources to their
total mix by 2020 and other entities are exploring
the idea of exporting wind for profit," said
Johannes. "Results of this study are an important
first step in helping us better understand how the
addition of more wind power in the state impacts
electric utility costs as well as the operational
impacts to the electric utility system in Nebraska
and regionally."
The study was paid for with funding from the U.S.
Department of Energy's National Renewable Energy
Laboratory and matched by the NPA utilities with in-kind
labor and some funding. Other study participants included
the consulting organizations of EnerNex Corporation and
Ventyx Energy, LLC, as well as a 37-member Technical
Review Committee comprised of national experts and stakeholders
inside and outside of Nebraska.
Other stories you'll find inside this edition:
- Nebraska Electric Rates Are Among Lowest in the Nation
In March, the US Energy Information Administration released state electricity profiles, which outline average retail prices for electricity state by state. More>>>
- For Household Energy and Money Savings, Look for the ENERGY STAR!
The U.S. government has a program that can help you make an EnergyWise decision when purchasing electric appliances for the home. More>>>
- Refrigerator Recycle Program
Get $35 in cold cash when you recycle your old, inefficient refrigerator. More>>>
- The Value of Electricity
A dollar's worth can get you so much! More>>>
- SPD Seeks to Return Unclaimed Funds
The individuals listed here, with the addresses we have on record, have left funds due them with Southern Power District. More>>>
- Credit Card Payment Option Available
You can pay your electric bill 24-hours-a-day, 7-days-a-week, and from any location. More>>>
- Recipe Box
White Chocolate Fruit Tart Enjoy!>>>
Feel free to drop off your samples of this recipe to Southern's main offices for sampling. :-)
Feel free to drop off your samples of this recipe to Southern's main offices for sampling. :-)
