Forecast is good for Dutch wind power Wind power can be integrated so successfully into the Dutch energy grid that power stations will be able to cope with variations in demand at any time in the future, as long as proper use is made of up-to-date wind forecasts, a PhD student has discovered. The economical and e... Wind power can be integrated so successfully into the Dutch energy grid that power stations will be able to cope with variations in demand at any time in the future, as long as proper use is made of up-to-date wind forecasts, a PhD student has discovered. The economical and environmental possibilities of wind power have made it the hot topic in the energy world over the past decade, but the unpredictability of wind levels has made integrating wind power into national energy grids a tricky subject. Bart Ummels, a PhD researcher at TU Delft (Delft University of Technology) in the Netherlands has researched the possibilities and difficulties of using a large amount of wind energy in the Dutch energy grid by using simulation models. One of his most important results is that using wind energy requires a lot of flexibility from power stations because different levels of energy are needed at different times. Sometimes power stations may have to decrease conventional energy production to make room for wind-generated power. Bart Ummels found that making use of wind forecasts to constantly calculate how much wind energy a power station can generate alongside conventionally generated energy, can create the right balance. Using this method will also ensure that there is no need for energy storage facilities. Bart Ummels said, 'Instead of the common question of what do we do when the wind isn't blowing, the more relevant question is where do we put all the electricity if it is very windy at night? This is because, for instance, a coal-fired power station cannot simply be turned off. 'One solution is provided by the international trade in electricity because other countries can often use the surplus. Moreover, a broadening of the 'opening hours' of the international electricity market benefits wind power. At the moment, utilities determine one day ahead how much electricity they intend to purchase or sell abroad. Wind power can be better used if the time difference between the trade and the wind forecast is smaller.' Lex Hartman, director of corporate development at TenneT, a Dutch transmission systems operator, says, 'In a joint effort, TU Delft and TenneT further developed the simulation model that can be used to study the integration of large-scale wind power. The results show that in the Netherlands we can integrate between 4GW and 10GW into the grid without needing any additional measures.' Using surplus electricity to sell to other countries could be a simple and economical solution to the energy storage question. It is estimated that using wind power in the Dutch power grid could lead to savings of EUR 1.5 billion a year and a 19 million tonne reduction in CO2 emissions a year. Countries Netherlands
