WindPower
Figure 2: Wind Industry Annual Installation Capacity
with electricity otherwise priced close to zero
wouldbesignificant.
Efficient storage is a technological advance
thatcouldtransformwind’scontributiontoan
electricity system by ironing out the troughs
and peaks of power production, effectively
neutralising its intermittency. It could turn
wind from an intermittent power source into
peaking power plant that makes a real
contribution to reserve capacity. There are
many experiments taking place in this field,
some of which are promising, but (with the
exception of pump storage hydro)
Source: WindEnergyStudy2008DeutschesWindenergie-Institut
commercially viable projects on a large-scale
do not appear to be on the horizon. As wind
mayfindasolutionintheformofelectriccars.Theidea,being capacity increases, the impetus to make this breakthrough
pioneered in Copenhagen, is that surplus wind power willrise,andthefutureimpactitwouldhave,ifitoccurs,will
generatedatnightwouldbeusedtopowerelectricplug-incars beallthegreater.
forurbantransport.Copenhagenistheperfectplacetotrythis,
given Denmark’s 20% penetration of wind in the electricity Interconnections
system(thehighestintheworld)theinflexibilityofits(highly Asmentioned,exportscouldproveamajorsafetyvaluefor
efficient)baseloadcoal-firedCHPsystems,andthefactthatit intermittentpowersources,enablingthemtofindnewsources
isveryflat. of demand when there is a surplus of power and acting as
It is also a move that could be very bankable in terms of additional reserve capacity when the wind fails. Denmark’s
meeting the EU’s renewable energy targets. In the EU's capacity to import and export power as a proportion of total
renewableenergypackage,itsays,“theamountofrenewable system capacity is just as impressive as the world-beating
electricityusedbyelectricroadvehiclesistobeconsideredtobe penetrationofwindpowerwithinitssystem.Evenso,ithasits
2.5timestheenergycontentoftherenewableelectricityinput, limitationsinthatexcesspoweroccurswhendemandislowin
in recognition of their greater externalmarkets,marketsthatasyetdo
efficiency.”Itisnotclearwhatmeasure
Efficientstorageisa
not have the same level of wind
ofefficiencyisbeingusedhere(perhaps
anaccountingone).
technologicaladvancethat
penetrationasDenmark.
In the Second Strategic Review of the
However, the use of plug-in electric
couldtransformwind’s
EU’s Energy Security and Solidarity
vehicles would create a relatively
contribution...
ActionPlan,greatemphasiswasplaced
constant and inelastic demand load on major infrastructural plans that
withinaspecifictimeperiod,tobesatisfiedbyanintermittent would benefit wind integration. These include the Baltic
supply. In practice, although it would clearly displace interconnection plan, completion of a Mediterranean energy
transportfuels,itwouldmeanincreasedcoalandgasburnat ring, the development of north-south electricity
nightwhenthewindwasn’tblowing,orvehicleownerswould interconnections within central and south-east Europe, and
findthemselveswithaflatbatteryinthemorning. mostsignificantlythedevelopmentofablueprintforaNorth
Proponents also argue that if the power wasn’t used by the Seaoffshoregrid,interconnectingnationalelectricitygridsand
car,itcouldbereturnedtothegridatpeakdemandtimes.This plugginginplannedoffshorewindprojects.
suggests that plug-in electric vehicle manufacturers have All of these are major projects, requiring a high degree of
found the Holy Grail of the electricity industry – the efficient international cooperation, planning and capital. And
storageandretrievalofpower.Itismorelikelythattheyhave internationalinterconnectorscanbenotoriouslydifficulttoget
notandthattherenewableenergyreturnabletothegridafter built;itmaywellbetotheNorthSeaoffshoregrid’sadvantage
having been transmitted from wind turbine to car battery is that it is indeed offshore. Assuming (optimistically) that they
not substantial. However, the displacement of transport fuel get built within the required timeframe, they should promote
worldPower2009 149
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