This paper is review of the main technical issues of wind energy integration in power systems. After summarizing the main factors affecting this integration and reviewing the analytical studies that have been carried out, the perspectives for growth in Italy are investigated. The wind power penetration projections for Italy show that the installed wind capacity should be in the range of 3,000 – 5,000 MW by 2010, with a wind power penetration level of 4.5 to 7% of peak demand. Even if, at a global level, no substantial problems in power system operation are expected, the high concentration of the Italian wind energy resource in a few areas in Southern Italy, Sicily and Sardinia Regions, can cause grid integration difficulties. In fact, new transmission networks should be built to connect this dispersed energy source to the power system. Moreover, the large wind penetration expected in isolated areas, such as in Sardinia Island, can cause load-following and regulation problems, especially during low-load periods and morning ramp-up or evening drop-off hours. These issues should be taken into account to avoid the risk of wind generation curtailments.
(2001) Proceedings of IEA Topical Expert Meeting on Large Scale Integration of wind power into the grid, 6–7/11, Hexham, England.
3.
BottaG.InvernizziA.PanichelliS.SalvaderiL., (1988) “EC wind power penetration study, ENEL perception”, Proceedings of Euroforum new energies, 24–28/10, Saarbrucken, Germany.
4.
CastroR.FerreiraL., (2001) “A comparison between chronological and probabilistic methods to estimate wind power capacity credit”, IEEE Trans. On power systems, vol. 16, November.
5.
BillingtonR.ChenH., (1998) “Assessment of risk-based capacity benefit factors associated with wind energy conversion systems”, IEEE Trans. On Power Systems, vol. 13, August.
6.
BillingtonR.ChenH.GhajarR., (1996) “A sequential simulation technique for adequacy evaluation of generation systems including wind energy”, IEEE Trans. On Energy Conversion, vol. 11, December.
7.
BillingtonR.ChowdhuryA.A., (1992) “Incorporation of wind energy conversion systems in conventional generation capacity adequacy assessment”, IEE Proceedings-C, vol. 139, No. 1, Jan.
8.
MilliganM., (1996) “Variance estimates of wind plant capacity credit”, Proceedings of Windpower′96 AWEA Conference, Denver, Colorado, June 23–27.
MilliganM.ParsonsB., (1999) “A comparison and case study of capacity credits algorithms for wind power plants”, Wind Engineering, Vol. 23, No. 3, pp. 159–166.
11.
van WijkA.J.M.HalbergH.TurkenburgW.C., (1992) “Capacity credit of wind power in the Netherlands”, Electric Power Systems Researches, Vol. 23.
12.
GiebelG., “Previous works on the capacity credit of wind energy”, available at www.drgiebel.de.
13.
BillingtonR.AllanR.N.SalvaderiL., (1991) “Applied reliability assessment in electric power systems”, IEEE.
14.
ErnstB.WanY.KirbyB., (1999) “Short term power fluctuation of wind turbines: Analyzing data from the German 250-MW measurement program from the ancillary service viewpoint”, Proceedings of Windpower′99 AWEA Conference, Washington D.C.
15.
WanY.ParsonsB., (1993) “Factors relevant to utility integration of intermittent renewable technologies”, report NREL, August, available at: www.doe.gov/bridge.
16.
HirstE.KirbyB., (1996) “Electric power ancillary services”, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, DOE contract No. DE-AC05–96OR22464, February.
17.
Regles du jeu relatives aux reglages primarie et secondaire de la frequence e de la puissance dans l'UCPTE”, (1988) frequency regulation code of the Union pour la Coordination du Transport de l'Électricité..
18.
HirstE., (2001) “Interactions of wind farms with bulk power operations and markets”, Alkexandria, VA: Project for a Sustainable FERC Energy Policy, Sept., available at: http://www.ehirst.com.
19.
BrownA.EllisonC.PorterK., (1999) ‘Transmitting wind energy: Issues and options in competitive electricity markets”, National Wind Coordinating Committee report, January, available at: http://www.nationalwind.org.
20.
BrooksD.PeaseJ.McGreeM., “Assessing the impact of wind generation on system operations at Xcel energy-BPA”, Utility Wind Interest Group report, available at: http://www.uwig.org.
21.
AkhmatovV., (2002) “Variable-speed wind turbines with doubly fed induction generators. Part II: Power System Stability”, Wind Engineering, Vol. 26, No. 3, pp. 171–188.
22.
ChanS.M.CurticeD.ChangS., (1983) “Methods for wind turbine dynamic analysis”, EPRIAP-3259, Final Report, October.
23.
ThomasR.PhadkeA.PottleC., (1988) “Operational Characteristics of a large wind farm utility system with a controllable AC/DC/AC interface”, IEEE Trans. on power systems, vol.3, No.1, February.
24.
KirbyB., (1997) “Electric industry restructuring, ancillary services and the potential impact of wind”, Proceedings of Windpower′97 AWEA Conference, Austin, TX.
25.
MilliganM., (2001) “A chronological reliability model to assess operating reserve allocation to wind power plants”, Proceedings of the EWEA Conference, Copenhagen, Denmark; EWEA Brussels.
26.
HirstE., (2001) “Real-time balancing operations and markets: Key to competitive wholesale electricity markets”, pp 33–36, Alexandria, VA: Project for sustainable FERC Energy Policy, April, available at: http://www.ehirst.com.
27.
MilliganM.PorterK.ParsonB.CaldwellJ., “Wind energy and power system operations: A Survey of current research and regulatory actions”, The Electricity Journal, 1040–6190/02.
28.
TorreM.PoggiP.LoucheA., (1999) “Integration limit of wind turbines generator in an islander electrical grid – case study of Corsica”, Proceedings of the EWEA Conference, Nice, France, 1–5 March, pp. 923–926.
29.
JensenJ.K., (2002) A balancing act, Renewable Energy World, Sept-Oct; James & James, London.
30.
NielsenP., (1982) “Problems of interconnecting aerogenerators to the grid”, Solar Energy R&D in the European Community, Series G, Volume 1, Wind Energy. Proceedings of the EC Contractor's Meeting, Brussels, Belgium. Edited by PalzW.ShnellW.. Nov. 23–24. pp. 151–157.
31.
GibbonsT.HaslettJ.KelledyE., (1979) “The potential contribution of wind power to the Irish electricity grid”, Statistics and operations research Laboratory, Trinity College Dublin, September.
32.
GardnerPSnodinHHigginsAMcGoldrickS, (2003) “The impacts of increased levels of wind penetration on the electricity systems of the republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland: Final report”, Commission for Energy Regulation/OFREG NI, February.
CoelinghJ.Van Der ReeB.Van WijkA., (1989) “The hourly variability in energy production of 1000 MW wind power in the Netherlands”, Proceedings of EWEA Conference, July; EWEA, Brussels.
37.
BeyerH.LuterJ.Steinberg-WillmsR., (1989) “Power fluctuations from geographically dispersed, grid coupled wind energy conversion systems”, Proceedings of EWEA Conference, July; EWEA, Brusselw.
38.
MilliganM.FactorT., (2000) “Optimizing the geographic distribution of wind plants in Iowa for maximum economic benefit and reliability”, Wind Engineering, Vol. 24, No. 4, pp. 271–290.
39.
HudsonR.KirbyB.WanY.-H., (2001) “Regulation Requirements for wind generation facilities”, Proceedings of AWEA Conference Windpower′01, Washington DC, U.S.
40.
PooreR.RandallG., (2001) “Characterizing and predicting 10-minute and hourly fluctuations in wind power plant output to support integrating wind energy into a utility system”, Proceedings of AWEA Conference Windpower′01, Washington DC, U.S.
41.
SimburgerE.J.CretcherC.K., (1983) “Load following Impacts of a large wind farm on an interconnected electric utility system”, IEEE Trans. on Power Apparatus and Systems, Vol. PAS-102, No.3. March, pp. 687–692.
42.
ESD Ltd, (2000) “Maximizing the commercial value of wind energy through forecasting”, Tech Rep, ETSUW/11/00555/REP. Available: nre-enquiry@aeat.co.uk.
43.
3. BaileyB.BrowerM.ZackJ., (1999) “Short term wind forecasting, development and application of a mesoscale model”, Proceedings of EWEA Conference, Nice, France; EWEA, Brussels.
44.
LandbergL, (1999) “Operational results from a physical power prediction model”, Proceedings of EWEA Conference, Nice, France, pp. 1086–1089; EWEA, Brussels.
45.
GilmanB.ChengM.IsaacJ.ZackJ.BaileyB.BrowerM., (2001) “The value of wind forecasting to Southern California Edison”, Proceedings of AWEA Conference Windpower′01, Washington D.C, U.S.
46.
MilliganM.MillerA.ChapmanF., (1995) “Estimating the economic value of wind forecasting to utilities”, Proceedings of AWEA Conference Windpower′95, Washington D.C., March 27–30.
47.
MilliganM.GrahamM., (1996) “An enumerated probabilistic simulation technique and case study: Integrating wind power into utility production cost models”, IEEE PES Summer Meeting, Denver, Colorado, July 29-August 1.
48.
GrubbM., (1987) “The integration and analysis of intermittent sources on electricity supply systems”, PhD Thesis, Kings College, University of Cambridge.
49.
GiebelG., (1999) “The capacity credit of wind energy in Europe, Estimated from reanalysis data”, Proceedings of EWEA Conference, March, Nice, France. Available at: www.drgiebel.de.
50.
(1992) Wind power penetration study, Reports of each country of the European Community, CEC, Brussels, Luxembourg.
51.
PodestàA.BurlandoM.CastinoF.RattoC.BottaG.LemboE., (2003) “La mappa del vento in Italia”, Energie Rinnovabili, No. 1, pp. 36–42.
52.
La IancaC.PanellaM., (2002) “L'esperienza del GRTN nella connessione di impianti eolici”, L'energia elettrica, Luglio-agosto2002, pp. 11–17.
