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Curtailment: Difference between revisions
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Up to a small percentage of the total load on a grid, wind power can be integrated with the use of existing reserve capacity, the redundant availability of extra generators kept running – burning fuel but not generating electricity – to be ready to switch to production in case of the sudden failure of other generators. Thus wind power, despite being highly variable, intermittent, and nondispatchable – responding only to the wind, not to actual customer demand – can be taken into the grid, especially during periods of [[Electrical grid|peak load]], when there is a greater variety of sources providing power and the grid is therefore more flexible. | Up to a small percentage of the total load on a [[Electrical grid|Electrical grid]]grid, or network of grids tied together by adequate interconnectors, wind power can be integrated with the use of existing reserve capacity, the redundant availability of extra generators kept running – burning fuel but not generating electricity – to be ready to switch to production in case of the sudden failure of other generators. Thus wind power, despite being highly variable, intermittent, and nondispatchable – responding only to the wind, not to actual customer demand – can be taken into the grid, especially during periods of [[Electrical grid|peak load]], when there is a greater variety of sources providing power and the grid is therefore more flexible. | ||
As the percentage of wind-generated power on the grid (called its “penetration”) increases, however, the ability of the grid to cope with its unpredictable fluctuations diminishes. | As the percentage of wind-generated power on the grid (called its “penetration”) increases, however, the ability of the grid to cope with its unpredictable fluctuations diminishes. | ||
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Notably, curtailment occurs frequently in Great Britain<ref>https://www.wind-watch.org/news/2014/10/28/revealed-as-hurricane-gonzalo-blew-into-uk-energy-firms-were-paid-5m-to-turn-off-their-wind-turbines/</ref><ref>https://www.wind-watch.org/news/2016/08/16/record-penalty-for-electricity-customers/</ref> and Texas<ref>https://www.wind-watch.org/news/2016/08/06/in-texas-oil-country-wind-is-straining-the-grid/</ref>, both with substantial penetration of wind on an isolated grid. | Notably, curtailment occurs frequently in Great Britain<ref>https://www.wind-watch.org/news/2014/10/28/revealed-as-hurricane-gonzalo-blew-into-uk-energy-firms-were-paid-5m-to-turn-off-their-wind-turbines/</ref><ref>https://www.wind-watch.org/news/2016/08/16/record-penalty-for-electricity-customers/</ref> and Texas<ref>https://www.wind-watch.org/news/2016/08/06/in-texas-oil-country-wind-is-straining-the-grid/</ref>, both with substantial penetration of wind on an isolated grid. | ||
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