Project information

Title:

Balancing wind energy in the grid: an overall, techno-economic and coordinated approach

Context

Wind energy can make an important contribution to reaching the Belgian target for renewable energy sources (RES) imposed by the European Commission (Directive 2001/77/EC). However, the participation of wind energy in markets must always assure security of supply (Proposal for a Directive COM(2003)740). Finally, wind energy support must be compatible with the Internal Market (Directive 2003/54/EC).

With current market rules wind power can difficultly enter the markets. However, the capacity of wind that can be installed in the Belgian grid is limited due to such market barriers but also technical limitations. It is the objective of this project to identify these barriers and to analyze how they could be removed. With the results of this project, Belgian policy makers will be able to take the necessary actions to increase the potential of wind energy.

Project Description

Objectives

Wind can best be integrated in the power system if it becomes integrated in the market environment. Since the market as it exists today has emerged in the period of a concentrated market (with central power plants in largely public or regulated ownership) it is not adapted to decentralized generation. With current market rules wind power can difficultly enter these markets as they are today. Since a large share of wind energy is supposed to become integrated in the future, benign conditions for wind power are necessary for its participation in the market. In recent years, several initiatives were taken to develop offshore wind farms in the Belgian area of the North Sea. However, the capacity of wind that can be installed in the Belgian grid, as in other countries, is limited due to such market barriers but also technical limitations. It is the objective of this project to identify these barriers limiting the wind potential in Belgium, and to analyze how they could be removed. Consequently, with the results of this project, Belgian policy makers will be able to take the necessary actions to increase the potential of wind energy.

Documents

File name	Description
projectsheet.pdf	Titel and summary (english version)
projectsheet_F.pdf	Titel and summary (french version)
projectfiche NL.pdf	Titel and summary (dutch version)