Active power reserve determination for power system with high share of solar generation

The most significant feature of solar power plants is stochastic nature of their operation which causes the main problem — difficulties in short-term and long-term power system operation planning. In this paper statistical analysis of the actual and planned solar power plants' archive data of the real power system is presented. On the basis of the investigated solar generation data some features were identified allowing determination of the magnitude and nature of solar power plants deviation from the plan depending on season and period of the day. Based on the research presented in this paper, an augmented approach was developed to determine expected generation capacity deviations in power system with a high penetration of solar power plants. The approach allows modification of existing method for determination of the constraints which are being imposed by System Operator during unit commitment for ensuring system reliability with solar power plants irregular fluctuations taken into account.