TECHNICAL ISSUES ON WIND ENERGY INTEGRATION IN POWER SYSTEMS: PROJECTIONS IN ITALY

摘要

In this paper, a review of the main technical issues of wind energy integration in power systems is presented. After summarizing the main factors affecting this integration and reviewing the analytical studies that have been carried out, the perspectives of growth in Italy are investigated. The wind 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 4.5-7% of peak demand. Even if, at global level, no substantial problems in power system operation are expected, the high concentration of the Italian wind energy resource in few areas in Southern Italy, Sicily and Sardinia Regions, can cause grid integration problems. In fact, new transmission networks should be built in order to connect to the power system this dispersed energy source. Moreover, the high 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, and these issues should be taken into account in order to avoid the risk of wind output curtailments.