Exploring the flexibility of CSP for wind power integration using interval optimization

Large scale integration of renewable energy requires extra reserves and ramp flexibilities due to the inherent intermittency and uncertainty, thus brings great challenges for the power system planning and operation. Concentrating solar power (CSP) plant, a rising technique to utilize renewable energy, has the flexibility to shift the production and offer reserves when equipped with thermal energy storage (TES) system. Hence, taking the advantage of the controllability of CSP, the coordination of wind power and CSP will be a competitive choice to accommodate renewable energy. In this paper, we explore the way of utilizing the flexibility of CSP to reduce the intermittencies and uncertainties of both wind power and solar radiation. The steady-state operation model of a CSP plant with TES is introduced. An interval optimization based model is proposed to optimize the operation strategies of wind farms and CSP plants with the target of simultaneously compensating the intermittency and reducing the uncertainty of their joint power outputs. The results of case study verify that the generation intermittency and uncertainty will be remarkably reduced through coordinating wind with CSP.