Benefits of Spatial Smoothing for the Integration of Wind Power

The stochastic nature of renewables such as wind greatly complicates their integration into power systems. At small levels of penetration the effects of wind integration are hardly noticed. As the penetration grows, the impact is expected to be considerable. Changes will need to be made to the way in which traditional generators are used. Often those generators are forced to run under suboptimal conditions. This can increase cost and also carbon emissions, negating any benefits of renewable energy. This study demonstrates the benefits that can be derived from the use of spatial smoothing. Spatial smoothing involves connecting grids together into larger interconnects and sharing the renewable resources between different regions. It is demonstrated that through spatial smoothing significant decreases can be obtained in the additional costs and other issues associated with wind integration. Additionally, the same theory can be applied to any other intermittent, non-dispatchable renewable resource including solar