Transmission system adequacy evaluation considering wind power

There has been a rapid growth of renewable power applications in electrical power generating systems due to concerns over the environment and depleting sources of conventional power generation. Implementation of policies such as the renewable portfolio standard, have mandated many regions around the globe to significantly increase renewable power penetration in electrical power systems. Wind power is the most important renewable energy source in meeting these targets, and its application is increasing rapidly in small power systems and large grid connected systems. Power generated by wind depends on the availability of the wind, which changes intermittently and varies randomly from zero to the rated capacity of the wind farm. It is difficult to assess the capacity credit of a wind farm and the appropriate capacity requirement of transmission facility to transfer wind power to the system load. There is a need to develop realistic reliability/cost evaluation techniques considering wind power in a power system including the transmission system. This paper presents an analytical method to evaluate transmission system adequacy for wind power. The paper illustrates results using an example wind farm. The presented methods and discussions should be useful to power system planners and policy makers