Authors: B. Girling, D. Hurdowar, S. Bridgeman
Abstract
In the search for a sustainable energy source to keep up with the ever-increasing demand for energy, wind power has come to the forefront as a practical source of renewable epnergy. Many power producers today are looking at wind energy and the implications of integrating such generators into their existing systems: Manitoba Hydro is one such organization. The Manitoba Hydro system includes 16 hydroelectric power plants consisting of 110 generating units with an installed capacity of about 4930 MW. As well as meeting its own load requirements, Manitoba Hydro exchanges its power with several neighboring power markets including the US, Saskatchewan and Ontario. Manitoba Hydro commissioned Synexus Global to evaluate the integration of wind generators into their existing system using the Vista Decision Support System. Vista DSS was used in planning mode to determine the integration implications in terms of how the reservoirs would re-regulate flows to reduce spill under a wind energy supply the impacts of transmission limits; the financial impacts of providing reserve for wind energy and the effects of hydrology on wind-hydro interaction.
