Non-pressurized solar power reserve installation

Will solar power increase the need for operating reserves?

Although many electric power system operators and researchers agree that increased penetrations of solar power on the electric power system will likely increase the need for operating reserves, the amounts and types of operating reserves needed are dificult to assess.

Why is regulating solar reserve requirements important?

Because photovoltaic solar can vary within a market interval and solar forecasts do not have perfect accuracy, as more solar power is added to an electric power system, regulating reserve requirements will likely be afected.

Does solar power need ramping reserves?

The National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) is currently researching the impact that solar power has on the need for ramping reserves. Myriad terms can be used to describe operating reserve needs, and they can be categorized in many ways. NREL’s categorization is intended only to provide a common framework.

Can new technologies provide components of needed operating reserves?

New technologies—including energy storage, demand response, and variable renewable generation itself—can provide components of needed operating reserves. E. Ela, M. Milligan, and B. Kirby. (2011).

How can operating reserve requirements be reduced?

Often, operating reserve requirements can be reduced when sharing occurs between regions. More accurate wind and solar forecasts will likely reduce operating reserve requirements significantly. It is not dificult to have enough operating reserves; it is dificult to have enough operating reserves at a low cost and acceptable risk.

Should operating reserve requirements be static or dynamic?

Prelimi-nary results from such studies at NREL suggest: Operating reserve requirements should be dynamic, not static, and change based on system conditions. Operating reserve requirements depend on the operating strategy (such as dispatch interval frequency). Often, operating reserve requirements can be reduced when sharing occurs between regions.