Real-time flexibility assessment for power systems with high wind energy penetration

To reduce the reliance on fossil fuel-based generation, many countries expand the use of renewable energy sources (RES) for electricity production. The stochastic and intermittent nature of such sources (i.e., wind and solar) poses challenges to the stable and reliable operation of the electric power system (EPS) and requires sufficient operational flexibility. With continuous and random changes in the EPS operational conditions, evaluating the system flexibility in a standardized manner may improve the robustness of planning and operating procedures. Therefore, the development of fast algorithms for determining system flexibility is a critical issue. In this paper, the flexibility of the EPS with high wind energy penetration is calculated in real time. In this context, the EPS flexibility is understood as the ability of the system to maintain a balance under irregular and short-term active power variations during a specified time by using the flexibility resources. The EPS flexibility calculation relies on a deterministic method developed to qualitatively and quantitatively assess the EPS readiness to changes in load. Accurate wind power forecasts and the observance of the electric circuit law when solving the optimization problem allow for determining the actual value of the EPS flexibility during a considered time.