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identify and resolve power quality issues
Power Quality Issues
Any new electric generating resource, like any new large load, has unique impacts on the local utility’s distribution grid and on the transmission system. For example, a large wind turbine interconnected to a distribution line serving just a few customers can lead to flickering lights and frequent computer crashes. Developers and utilities have a number of tools available to assess these impacts and to find solutions that will result in an acceptable level of power quality. For very large projects, it may be necessary to undertake a full-scale system analysis. However, for smaller projects, there are several tools available that may provide an acceptable level of analysis.
The National Renewable Energy Lab (NREL) has developed an on-line economic screening model for wind projects that is publicly available. There is a module in the model that calculates voltage flicker and other power quality issues.
For utilities and developers adding a new community wind project, the Utility Wind Interest Group (UWIG) has built on the NREL model and added some levels of sophistication and added input from various manufacturers that will allow developers and utilities to target and analyze their own system more accurately. This model is constantly being updated with manufacturer and utility inputs. Members and customers of the UWIG, National Rural Electric Cooperative Association members, and Last Mile Electric Cooperative members may obtain the password for access to this model from Michael Pehosh (email).
