Demand-side management, extended transmission or storage for surplus wind energy in the Northeast region?

Abstract

Solar and wind energy are contributing ever greater proportions of utility scale generation. However due to the variable nature of wind power and solar PV, there are limits to the penetration of these technologies. This paper examines the challenges of integrating surplus solar and wind power into an electricity grid. A literature review is conducted on 3 methods used to integrate surplus wind energy, including demand-side management, extended transmission, and storage. The technical and economic advantages and drawbacks of each technology are investigated using the Brazilian Northeast region as a case study. It was found that while demand-side management is the cheapest option for integrating surplus wind power, it cannot completely resolve daily and seasonal variations in wind energy. Extended transmission lines can allow for export of surplus wind energy and import of energy during peak demand, however, very long transmission links can be costly and incur energy losses. Implementing pumped hydro storage for stockpiling excess wind energy allows for more flexibility, but the costs of constructing a new reservoir and dam makes the technology the most expensive of the 3 methods. In the future, all three methods, as well as other smart grid technologies, may be necessary to efficiently integrate renewable energy.