Variable renewable energy (VRE) sources—i.e., those that are fluctuating in nature, like wind and solar—are the fastest growing sources of electrical capacity in the United States. As wind and solar photovoltaic costs continue to fall dramatically, more operators are deploying these energy sources, but their ever-changing nature creates many challenges for system planning and grid operations.
Last month, the Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy released the 2016 Renewable Energy Grid Integration Data Book, which sheds some light on questions about how power system operators handle the uncertainty that comes with VRE sources of power. The data book tracks how much VRE power is going onto the grid and highlights the experiences to date.