Full Title: Impacts of Wind and Solar on Fossil-Fueled Generators
Author(s): D. Lew, G. Brinkman, N. Kumar, P. Besuner, D. Agan, and S. Lefton
Publisher(s): National Renewable Energy Laboratory
Publication Date: August 1, 2012
Full Text: Download Resource
Description (excerpt):
High penetrations of wind and solar power will impact the operations of the remaining generators on the power system. Regional integrations studies have shown that wind and solar may cause fossil-fueled generators to cycle on and off and ramp down to part load more frequently and potentially more rapidly. Increased cycling, deeper load following, and rapid ramping may result in wear and tear impacts on fossil-fueled generators that lead to increased capital and maintenance costs, increased equivalent forced outage rates, and degraded performance over time. Heat rates and emissions from fossil-fueled generators may be higher during cycling and ramping than during steady-state operation. Many wind and solar integrations studies have not taken these increased costs and emissions impacts into account because data have not been available. This analysis considers the cost and emissions impacts of cycling and ramping of fossil-fueled generation to refine assessments of wind and solar impacts on the power system.