Flexible Generation folder
FAST Tool and Exercise: Sustainable Energy Training
These slides describe the Flexibility Assessment Tool (FAST), which can be used to assess the flexibility of a power system. This assessment can help operators address the added variability and uncertainty associated with large-scale variable RE penetration on the grid. The tool specifically enables the examination of flexible generation, interconnection, storage, and demand-side management. Although these slides are intended to describe the FAST tool, they can also be used as a general guide for key steps to assess system flexibility.
Flexible Coal: Evolution from Baseload to Peaking Plant
This study explores the technical details of cycling coal plants, including the problems that can emerge from operating coal plants as intermediate and peaking plants, and which types of technical and operating modifications are needed to enhance flexibility. The document includes a review of the implications of costs and emissions and the replicability of the measures employed at the case study plant.
Impact of Flexibility Options on Grid Economic Carrying Capacity of Solar and Wind: Three Case Studies
This paper quantifies the benefits of various options for increasing power system flexibility. The authors evaluate the benefits of flexibility using two primary metrics: economic carrying capacity and system costs. Results indicate that flexibility can increase the economic carrying capacity of wind and solar energy and reduce system costs. Multiple combinations of flexibility options are evaluated, including combinations of demand response, energy storage, enhanced cooperation among balancing areas, lower minimum generation requirements for gas and coal generators, among others.
Quantifying the Value of Hydropower in the Electric Grid: Final Report
This report summarizes a three-year, U.S. Department of Energy commissioned study that assesses the value of hydropower to the U.S. power system for both pumped and traditional plants. The report includes an assessment of the current market structures and costs and ways to increase the value of hydropower.
Potential of Small Hydro Power Plants for Delivering Ancillary Services in Germany
This case study discusses the potential of small, run-of-river hydropower to provide network frequency and voltage control. Included are estimates of the ability of small hydropower to provide ancillary services. The report finds that failure-free and redundant communication equipment to pool and operate hydropower plants are necessary.
Co-optimizing Energy and Ancillary Services from Energy Limited Hydro and Pumped Storage Plants
This document explores the benefits of expanding co-optimization of energy and ancillary services to hydropower. The author builds off of practices currently enacted for conventional generators and demonstrates that co-optimization improves the economics of hydropower plants.
Flexible Generation: Backing up Renewables
In this report, the authors explore whether conventional thermal power plants in Europe are flexible enough to support power ramps from wind. The report suggests a system approach to enabling the appropriate mix and levels of flexibility to address various possible scenarios.
Beyond Capacity Markets - Delivering Capability Resources to Europe's Decarbonised Power System
The design of capacity markets is examined in order to provide recommendations for how Europe can best design these markets to encourage flexibility to address high penetration of variable RE. The authors offer several market design recommendations.
Power Plant Cycling Costs
The report reviews cycling costs for power pants, including those related to operating generation at varying load levels (on/off load following) and minimal operation levels. The authors provide the typical cycling costs for “flexible” generation, an overview of the systems and components commonly affected by cycling, and mitigation strategies that minimize cycling costs. The costs are based on Intertek’s APTECH database.
Hydropower in Europe: Powering Renewables
The report includes both a broader look at the European hydropower market as well as detailed flexibility case studies in the Nordic power system, Austria, Poland, Norway, Germany, Switzerland and Ireland.
Quantifying the Value of Hydropower in the Electric Grid: Role of Hydropower in Existing Markets
This report examines the broader role of hydropower in the U.S. power system in terms of both energy and ancillary services, and how these roles vary across regions, especially under the context of greater variable RE. The report looks at the drivers and barriers to hydropower generation within these markets.
Status of Power System Transformation 2018: Advanced Power Plant Flexibility
International Energy Agency, 2018