Reliability-driven transmission investment in systems with wind generation

This paper describes a methodology for assessing the transmission network adequacy in systems with significant contribution of wind generation. The historical network design standards were conceptualised for conventional generation and applying those standards to wind generation, given its lower reliability performance, is shown to lead to transmission overinvestment when wind generation is located in an exporting area or to underinvestment and a significant increase in the risk of loss of supply when it is located in an importing area. The objective of this work is therefore to update the methodology for determining the adequacy of transmission capacity to reflect the characteristics of wind generation, while maintaining the overall philosophy of the existing standards. This work is conducted to inform the review of the Great Britain (GB) network design standards to incorporate wind generation. Case studies are presented in the context of a simplified GB transmission system model to demonstrate that wind power tends to drive less transmission capacity than conventional generation.