Utility Wind Interest Group Announces Formation of User Groups and Membership Drive

Actions reflect expansion of wind generation in the electric power industry

Springfield Va. – November 14, 2003 – Spurred by the increasing number of wind generation facilities in development across the United States, an industry group has announced an expanded focus towards research and a membership drive. The Utility Wind Interest Group (UWIG), a non-profit corporation whose mission is to accelerate the appropriate integration of wind power for utility applications, is expanding its membership services to incorporate four technical user groups. The group is also seeking to add new members.

At its semiannual technical workshop held in Seattle last month, UWIG announced the formation of four User Groups for its members. These groups cover the topics of Operating Impacts and Integration Studies; Wind Plant Modeling and Interconnection; Distributed Wind Applications; and Market Operation and Transmission Policy Best Practices. These groups are organized around the topics currently of greatest interest to the UWIG members and are being supported jointly by the membership and the U.S. Department of Energy's National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL). The User Groups will gather, analyze, and disseminate information generated through the organization, its members, NREL, and other organizations in the U.S. and abroad. Specific focus of the groups includes:

Operating Impact and Interconnection Study User Group. UWIG has sponsored work on the cost of ancillary services for wind plants, which stimulated a number of related studies by members and other organizations. The user group has already begun to compare and analyze the results of different studies done in the US and abroad, and provide the results to its members. The user group will identify gaps in the work that need to be filled, and help members to understand its application to their own situations.

Wind Plant Modeling and Interconnection User Group. A library of individual wind turbine and aggregated wind plant models will be developed and maintained for power system load flow, short circuit, and stability studies. Charlie Smith, UWIG Senior Technical Advisor, announced this group would work with the Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT) to support and expand the results of their initial turbine and wind plant modeling efforts. Jim Caldwell, Policy Director for the American Wind Energy Association, announced AWEA would support the UWIG effort to develop and maintain the wind plant model library. UWIG also announced an alliance with EnerNex Corporation to support this effort. Model verification through field-testing will be performed in conjunction with utility members in order to build confidence in the models, understand their limitations, and identify future development needs.

Distributed Wind Application User Group. A current UWIG research project on electrical distribution system impacts will provide a foundation of case studies, monitoring results, planning and analysis tools, and application guides to assist members undertaking new wind projects located on utility distribution systems.

Market Operation and Transmission Policy Best Practices User Group. Best practices related to wind energy in Regional Transmission Organizations (RTOs) will be tracked and made available to members. In addition, UWIG will provide a forum for discussion of related issues and, if appropriate, identification of concerns and development of recommendations.

Noting that UWIG provides an effective forum for addressing technical issues associated with the addition of wind power to utility generation portfolios, Brad Reeve, President of UWIG and General Manager of Kotzebue Electric Association, announced a push to increase membership. Reeve strongly encourages utilities, Independent System Operators/RTOs, wind plant developers, turbine vendors, and other wind industry participants to join UWIG.

The Utility Wind Interest Group was established in 1989 to provide a forum for the critical analysis of wind technology for utility applications and to serve as a source of credible information on the status of wind technology and deployment. The group holds technical wind forums and engages in other technical program activities through the coordinated efforts and actions of its members. It operates in collaboration with the U.S. Department of Energy and NREL, which provide co-funding for the group. The UWIG currently has 51 members spanning 21 states, including investor-owned, public power, and rural electric cooperative utilities, as well as associate member corporate, government, and academic organizations.