UWIG Update

September 2007

In this issue

UWIG Releases Summary on Wind Power in Electricity Markets
November/December issue of IEEE Power & Energy Magazine to revisit wind integration
Wind Integration Short Course a Success
Dates Scheduled for 2008 Spring Meeting

This publication is being sent to individuals from UWIG member organizations as well as nonmembers to inform you about UWIG activities, meetings, and news. If you do not wish to continue receiving this publication, which will be sent out periodically (i.e., when there is news to report), please send e-mail to info@uwig.org. If there are others within your organization who would like to receive the UWIG Update, please send e-mail to info@uwig.org.

UWIG News and Notes

UWIG Releases Summary on Wind Power in Electricity Markets

The Utility Wind Integration Group has released an updated version of a summary table detailing markets and market rules for wind energy and capacity in North America. Capturing the state of markets as of September 21, 2007, the document represents a significant updating of a table submitted by UWIG at the December 2004 FERC Technical Conference on Assessing the State of Wind Energy in Wholesale Electricity Markets.

The document is based on information presented at the UWIG 2007 Technical Workshop held in Anchorage, Alaska, as well as a meeting of the UWIG Market Operations and Transmission Policy User Group.. Covering PJM Interconnection, the New York Independent System Operator, ISO New England, the Ontario Independent System Operator, Midwest ISO, Southwest Power Pool, the Electric Reliability Council of Texas, California Independent System Operator, and Alberta Electric System Operator, the table presents responses to the following questions:

Scheduling in Energy Markets: How is wind energy scheduled and procured?
Imbalance Settlement: How are wind energy imbalances settled – either through a balancing market or another settlement procedure?
Ancillary Services: How are wind plants’ ancillary service needs and costs recognized?
Wind Forecasting: What role does wind forecasting play?
Capacity Calculation: How is capacity value or capacity credit for wind plants calculated? Is there a distinction between capacity values for planning reserves (months and years time frame) and operating reserves (same-day to next-day)? If so, what is it?
Capacity Recognition: How is capacity value recognized in capacity obligations and capacity markets?

FERC Order 888’s discussion of these questions, as updated in Order 890, was used as a baseline for the table. UWIG has stated that it intends to update the document as regional electricity markets continue to evolve.

Download the Summary Table

UWIG Coordinating Special Wind Issue of IEEE Power & Energy Magazine

UWIG has been working with the IEEE Power Engineering Society on putting together an update of the November/December 2005 issue of Power & Energy Magazine, which was dedicated to the topic of integrating wind with electric power systems. UWIG Executive Director Charlie Smith and Brian Parsons of NREL reprised their roles as co-guest-editors for this issue, which will come out in late October. Article topics include:

What does 20% of Electricity from Wind Look Like? (Editorial)
The Status and Future of Wind Energy Technology
Interconnecting Wind Plants to Electric Power Systems
Update on Integration Studies
Transmission Planning and Market Operation
Wind Forecasting and System Operations
System Operation and Frequency Control: European Experience
Market Design Considerations with Renewables (Opinion)

The articles from the upcoming issue will be made available in electronic format in the members area of the UWIG web site (login required). In addition, UWIG is ordering additional copies of the issue, and will distribute them to attendees of UWIG meetings in 2008 as well as at key wind and power industry events. For more information, please send e-mail to Sandy Smith (sandy@uwig.org).

2007 Wind Integration Short Course a Success

The 2007 presentation of “Wind Generation in Power Systems: A Short Course on the Integration and Interconnection of Wind Power Plants into Electric Power Systems” was a success, with 39 attendees participating in the event, held September 11-14 at the offices of the Midwest ISO in St. Paul, Minn. The core curriculum, presented September 11-13, was supplemented by an optional program on September 14 focusing on computer simulations of wind turbines and wind plants and a tour of the FPL Energy Mower County Wind Energy Facility. UWIG plans to schedule a presentation of the course in late 2008.

Dates, Location Set for the 2008 Spring Meeting

UWIG will hold its Spring Technical Workshop and Annual Meeting April 16-18, 2008 at the Hilton Fort Worth in Fort Worth, Texas. UWIG is returning to a schedule of two technical workshops per year, with the fall workshop to be held in the Denver area in the September-October timeframe. More information about the date for the fall meeting will be released as it is finalized.

UWIG Board of Directors

Henry Durrwachter, Luminant – President
Cliff Murley, Sacramento Municipal Utility District - Vice President
Gary Thompson, Nebraska Public Power District – Secretary
Brent Petrie, Alaska Village Electric Cooperative – Treasurer
Jay Caspary, Southwest Power Pool
Elliot Mainzer, Bonneville Power Administration (Non-Voting)
Brett Oakleaf, Xcel Energy
Richard O’Conor, We Energies
Dale Osborn, Midwest Independent System Operator
Ron Rebenitsch, Basin Electric Power Cooperative
Brad Reeve, Kotzebue Electric Association Inc.

Ex-Officio:
John Holt, National Rural Electric Cooperative Association
Chuck Linderman, Edison Electric Institute
Chuck McGowin, Electric Power Research Institute
Michele Suddleson, American Public Power Association

Staff:
Charlie Smith – Executive Director
Ed DeMeo – Technical Advisor
Brian Parsons, NREL – Technical Advisor
Sandy Smith – Communications Coordinator
Jill Williams – Communications Associate

If you are not interested in receiving announcements from the Utility Wind Integration Group, please send e-mail to info@uwig.org and we will remove your name.