www.ijep.org International Journal of Energy and Power (IJEP) Volume 3 Issue 4, November 2014
Wind Energy and Supply Security in the Spanish Power System Eloy Fernández*1, José A. Gutierrez2, Jorge Xiberta3 Departamento de Energía, Escuela Técnica Superior de Ingenieros de Minas C/Independencia, 13, 2ª planta. 33004 Oviedo. Spain *1
eloyfd@hotmail.com; 2gutierrezantonio@uniovi.es; 3jxiberta@uniovi.es
Abstract
last 20 years, despite the fact that since 2007 it has dropped 16%) compared to the EU15 countries (less than 6% in the last 20 years). Spain’s dependence on foreign energy is over 74%, which complicates its commitment made to the European Commission. Spain has agreed to reduce emissions of greenhouse gases 14% by 2020 with respect to 2005 with 20% of the final energy coming from renewable sources (COM, 2009a)
Incorporating a significant amount of wind generated energy into the Spanish electrical system is a complex challenge due to its unmanageable capacity to cover demand and the sudden variations in its production. The main difficulties involved are: the low level of ensured power in relation to its total installed capacity, the risk of excessive production in off‐peak hours and the fact that some thermal power plants must maintain minimum operation levels at all times in order to be able of increase power output when demand increases.
Currently, wind power covers 19% of the electricity demand in Spain. This domestic energy is especially necessary to reduce dependence on foreign energy (Fernández and Xiberta, 2008). However, when considering wind generation it should be considered more in terms of energy than power. The reason is that this primary energy source cannot guarantee stability of power supply, although it can contribute significantly in terms of the annual energy generated. In operational terms this implies that in order to ensure that demand can be met, it is necessary to dispose of an additional power reserve.
These operational problems could be solved easily if Spain had better interconnection with the European system through France, which has powerful and varied responsiveness to contingencies. In order to meet unpredictable changes in production and demand, Spain must develop interconnection with neighboring countries and cover significant increases in operating reserve requirements. In addition, it is necessary to adapt some of the combined cycles for fast starting and construct new hydro pumping stations that combine fast response and storage capacity. The construction of these facilities will depend mainly on the regulatory framework and technical‐economic factors.
The difficult management of wind power due to its intermittent generation causes serious problems for the Spanish System Operator (REE). This is aggravated by its low interconnection power with France and, consequently, with the rest of the European network. Improved interconnection would ensure suitable responsiveness to any contingencies that might arise (Fernández and Xiberta, 2007).
Keywords Wind energy; Security of supply; Electricity market; Demand management; Spanish energy policy
Introduction In the coming years, the Spanish economy in general, and the power sector in particular must fulfill commitments to the European Commission, aimed at combating climate change and promoting energy security and competitiveness. This, together with Spain’s dependence on foreign energy, make wind energy a priority in the national energy policy (Fernández and Xiberta, 2009).
In this paper we analyze the benefits as well as the difficulties when incorporating a significant volume of non‐manageable generation into the Spanish power system. The paper also discusses possible ways to reduce or solve the difficulties exposed. Firstly, we analyze the development of wind energy in Spain. We follow this with a description of the integration of wind energy into the coverage of the demand. Finally, using results from the integration,
In recent years Spain has undergone a significant increase in primary energy consumption (40% in the
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