Current methods to calculate capacity credit of wind power, IEA collaboration

Abstract

Power systems must have enough generation to meet demand at each moment of the day. In addition, they must also have enough reserve to deal with unexpected contingencies. The increase in the penetration of wind generation in recent years has led to a number of challenges in the calculations required to facilitate wind generation while maintaining the existing level of security of supply. A key calculation in this process is the capacity credit or value of wind generation. Capacity credit/value of wind generation can be broadly defined as the amount of firm conventional generation capacity that can be replaced with wind generation capacity, while maintaining the existing levels of security of supply. This topic has been the subject of much study and debate in recent times. The aim of this paper is to give an overview of the state of the art in this area, in particular with regard to the work of IEA WIND Task 25 and the work detailed in its state of the art report on the design and operation of power systems with large amounts of wind power.