INTRODUCTION OF NEW ENERGIES IN UTILITY NETWORKS

Abstract

Abstract This paper discusses the penetration and integration of new energy technologies into electricity utility networks. The characteristics of new energy sources are discussed and the influence they have on utility planning, particularly with respect to the diffuse nature of these sources and the intermittency of some of them. Particular attention is paid to wind power, which has reached the milestone of 1000 MW of installed capacity in the European Communities and which has now been extensively studied. Integration issues relating to other technologies are touched on, including biomass, photovoltaics, tidal and wave energy and OTEC. The importance of new energy utilisation measures is emphasised within integrated resource planning (IRP) and the emerging “distributed utility” concept is discussed. The effects of these changes will be profound.