EERE Success Story—Beyond Power, Wind Plants Can Provide a Full Suite of Essential Reliability Services to the Grid

June 9, 2020

As energy providers explore new ways to integrate renewable energy sources reliably into the electric grid, they can now look to wind plants to supply more than just power. New research demonstrates that wind plants also have capabilities to provide ancillary services to the electric grid using plant-level controls—critical functions that help grid operators maintain a reliable electricity system. With support from the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE’s) Wind Energy Technologies Office (WETO), research collaborators—including Avangrid Renewables, the California Independent System Operator (CAISO), General Electric, and DOE’s National Renewable Energy Laboratory—conducted a series of tests in late 2019 at Avangrid Renewables’ Tule Wind Farm near San Diego. The researchers demonstrated that large, utility-scale wind power plants can provide essential grid services that ensure the smooth and continuous flow of electricity on the power grid.

The big takeaway? Wind resources can be used to actively manage the electric grid with higher levels of renewable generation. Learn more.