Mode for reducing wind curtailment based on battery transportation

Abstract

Abstract Renewable energy sources, such as wind and solar, face several obstacles, including curtailment, where the generated energy exceeds local demand and production must be reduced because of limited transmission capacity. Simultaneously, consumer demand for large-capacity batteries is expanding given the recent rapid development of electric vehicles (EVs) and plug-in hybrid EVs. A battery-charging mode, in which discharged batteries are transported from battery exchange stations in high-load areas to wind farms, is proposed to alleviate curtailment. In this study, batteries store otherwise curtailed energy and smooth the wind power output simultaneously. The structure of the battery-charging device is discussed, and the concept of a battery-charging container is proposed. The control principle of the battery-charging management unit is presented with a simulation model constructed in the PSCAD/EMTDC environment. A case study is simulated, and the feasibility of the mode is analyzed considering the levelized cost and energy losses. Simulation results show that this mode is a feasible solution to alleviating wind curtailment and providing fresh impetus for developing EV battery exchanges.

Keywords

• Wind curtailment
• Battery-charging container
• Transportation
• Power smoothing