Keizerslaan 20 Boulevard de l'Empereur, 20 B-1000 Brussels
PRESS RELEASE
Tel.: 02 546 70 11 Fax: 02 546 70 10
24 February 2012
Elia publishes wind power forecasts • •
Data on forecast wind power output and wind power actually produced made available free of charge to market players. Significant contribution to transparent information and market facilitation
Elia provides market players with forecasts for wind power output as well as data for wind power actually produced. Thanks to accurate monitoring of the forecasting quality, market players will be able to better balance their generation/consumption portfolio in near real time and improve their electricity load and demand forecasts (and associated price fluctuations) in both the long and short term. Belgium's installed wind power generation capacity monitored by Elia's forecasting tool is 930.65 MW1 – practically equivalent to one nuclear reactor. This is destined to grow considerably in the years ahead, in view of European, national and regional objectives on fighting global warming. Elia uses reliable, efficient forecasting tools to help it maintain balance between generation and consumption, while taking account of a growing share of energy that is variable in nature. Elia systematically compares forecasts with actual results. This information is used for security calculations and helps to improve them. Elia is also able to use it to accurately estimate the magnitude of potential imbalances in its control area and thus optimally activate the necessary reserves, all at the best cost for the community. As the transmission system operator, Elia provides market players with this data as part of its mission to promote transparent information and market facilitation. Market players can use Elia's tool to display an overview of total forecast wind power production for up to seven days as well as a real-time estimate of wind power production on a quarter-hourly basis. Filters can be used to select different views (onshore/offshore wind farms; wind farms connected to the Elia grid/distribution grid). Past data can be downloaded for a selected period or month depending on the selected filters. All of this information is freely available on www.elia.be under Operational data & tools > Power generation > Forecast and actual wind power generation
1
An estimate of the total installed wind power capacity in Belgium at the beginning of February 2012 was just over 1,000 MW.
For more information: Media: Lise Mulpas
02 546 73 75
0478 65 28 90
lise.mulpas@elia.be
Investor relations: Bert Maes
02 546 72 39
0472 40 69 97
bert.maes@elia.be
About Elia: Elia is the Belgian transmission system operator, transmitting electricity from generators to distribution system operators and major industrial users and being responsible for importing and exporting electrical energy to and from Belgium’s neighbouring countries. Elia owns the entire Belgian very-high-voltage grid (150 to 380 kV) and some 94% (ownership and user rights) of Belgium's high-voltage grid infrastructure (30 to 70 kV). Elia's grid consists of 5,608 kilometres of overhead lines and 2,775 kilometres of underground connections and is a key link between electricity markets in northern and southern Europe. Belgium’s recent investments in interconnection capacity with its neighbours make it one of the most open and interconnected countries in Europe. Elia expanded its activities on a broader European level with the acquisition, in May 2010, of the German TSO 50Hertz in cooperation with Industry Funds Management (IFM). The group is now one of the top five transmission system operators in Europe.