Environmental Engineering Reference
In-Depth Information
(FERC) regulates the transmission of electricity across this network. As
Chapter 6 explained, electricity grids in China are 100% state-owned, and
the two main state-owned utilities in China enjoy a monopoly in their
zones of coverage. However, these utilities have to gain approval from the
central government for electricity price increases and to secure funds for
grid expansion. As Chapter 8 illustrated, the electricity grids in Canada are
largely owned and operated by the provinces, although a few provinces have
privatized some of the transmission and distribution services. Provinces
negotiate with other provinces when it comes to sharing power lows.
Insights gleaned from the case studies suggest that there are at least four
features of electricity grids that inluence the capacity to accommodate high
contributions from wind power. he irst feature is the nature of ownership.
Public ownership over transmission and distribution (T&D) networks tends to
enhance grid resilience when compared to private T&D models. his is because
the proit motives of private T&D irms deter such irms from making grid
fortiication investments that may provide public beneits, but do not add to
the bottom line. he second feature that inluences the capacity of the grid to
accommodate enhanced levels of wind power is coverage. Generally speaking,
the larger the grid, the higher the resilience. his is because larger grids have
higher levels of load balancing slack capacity built into the system and this
enables higher contributions from wind power without adding backup power.
he third feature is system sophistication. On the one hand, some national
grids are governed by sophisticated load balancing systems, which are techno-
logically able to accommodate stochastic electricity lows more efectively. On
the other hand, other national grids—like the US network—are aging, poorly
coordinated, and susceptible to system failure. Integrating high levels of wind
power into such systems further reduces network stability. he fourth feature
that enhances the resilience of electricity grids is access to neighboring grids.
As was evident in the Danish and German case studies, the EU grid provides a
safety bufer and permits high levels of installed wind power capacity in these
nations. During periods of wind power surplus the EU grid acts as a clear-
inghouse for selling of surplus capacity, and during periods of wind power
deiciency the EU grid can help balance the supply load at a fraction of the cost
of domestic backup systems.
hese insights underscore three key lessons for policymakers who are inter-
ested in structuring a national grid to accommodate high levels of installed
wind power capacity. First, the T&D infrastructure should be uniied and
preferably state-owned. his ensures that load balancing spare capacity is
aggregated and available for balancing lows when needed. Second, expand-
ing T&D capacity between neighboring grids provides added grid security
when accommodating higher levels of wind power. hird, policymakers
