Environmental Engineering Reference
In-Depth Information
Figure 2.20 shows the impact of wind on coal cycling. The solid bars indi-
cate the number of wind-induced cycle events. The shaded portion repre-
sents cycling events not related to wind. The categories capture the sizes of
the events. For example, the first category (300-500 MW) indicates that the
number of times total coal-fired generation increased from 300 to 500 MW
from hour to hour.
This data indicates that most coal cycling in Texas is due to wind generation
and that the number of wind-induced cycling instances is increasing rapidly.
Figure 2.21 compares wind-induced coal-cycling events from Figure 2.20 to
the total wind generation for each year. In 2008, wind generation grew by
1,307
60%
1,169
72%
2007 2008 2009
Total Number of Cycles
% Wind Induced Cycles
779
750
61%
62%
568
66%
371
63%
233
72%
125
47
51
71%
73%
21
10
2
5
4
90%
83%
80%
80%
50%
75%
300-500 MW 500-1,000 MW 1,000-1,500 MW 1,500-2,000 MW 2,000 + MW
Source: BENTEK Energy amd CEMS
FIGURE 2.20
ERCOT coal cycling events.
900
20,000
18,000
16,000
14,000
12,000
10,000
8,000
6,000
4,000
2,000
0
300-500 MW
500-1,000 MW
1,000-1,500 MW
800
700
1,500-2,000 MW
600
2,000 + MW
500
400
300
200
100
0
2007
2008
2009
FIGURE 2.21
ERCOT wind-induced coal cycling and wind generation.
