Exploring backup requirements to complement wind, solar and hydro generation in a highly renewable Spanish power system

A weather-driven model is used to investigate the requirements for the backup generation (annual energy, power capacity and flexibility) in a power system with different penetrations of wind, solar photovoltaics, and hydroelectricity. The impact of interannual variability is assessed by using 26 years of weather data. The flexibility needed for the backup generation is found to be higher as the solar penetration increases since ramps caused by sunrises and sunsets are more significant than those caused by hour-to-hour wind fluctuations. The model is applied to the Spanish power system and two dispatch strategies for reservoir hydro and pumped hydro storage are evaluated. The currently installed gas power capacity is found to be sufficient to secure hourly demand for high renewable penetration.

Automated summary

A weather-driven model was used to study the requirements for backup generation in a power system with varying penetrations of wind, solar, and hydroelectricity. It was found that flexibility needed for backup generation is higher with increased solar penetration. The model was applied to the Spanish power system, where two dispatch strategies for reservoir hydro and pumped hydro storage were evaluated.