Posted Feb. 5, 2016 at 10:02 PM
Thanks to incredible innovations in clean power technologies, wind energy is rapidly becoming a crucial part of our electricity mix while saving money for homeowners and businesses along the way.
The Midcontinent Independent System Operator (MISO), which manages Central Illinois' power grid, receives on average over 12 percent of MISO's electricity demand, much more than nuclear power. At one point last year, wind supplied over 25 percent of MISO's electric demand.
Using wind to create this electricity saves consumers money. MISO has previously explained , "Wind represents one of the fuel choices that helps us manage congestion on the system and ultimately helps keep prices low for our customers and the end-use consumer. When we have significant quantities of wind being generated, we use less of other, more expensive, generation types to keep the system in balance."
Wind can also be reliably integrated into the grid without batteries. Its output may be variable, but it's also predictable; as one wind farm ramps down, another ramps up. Wind forecasting technology makes variations more predictable, while real-time dispatch allows other generators to fill in the gaps and ensure reliability. A robust transmission system makes this process cheaper and more effective.
Meanwhile, outages at conventional power plants occur suddenly and unexpectedly, removing large amounts of electricity from the grid, whereas changes in wind output are gradual and predictable, occurring gradually over many hours. This gives grid operators ample time to adapt.
Because of technological advancements, wind power costs two-thirds less than just six years ago, and those savings are passed on to consumers. A 2012 study by the Illinois Power Agency found adding wind power to the grid reduced wholesale electric prices by $176.8 million, while creating jobs and economic growth in the process.
More of those savings could be on the way. The Department of Energy says growing wind power could help save Illinois consumers $1.16 billion through 2050, with another $14 billion in savings possible by wind's effect on lowering natural gas prices.
To fully tap into these benefits to our economy and our environment, we will need to invest in in upgrading our grid, which includes adding new transmission. Building transmission acts as a bridge that brings the lowest-cost wind in the country to places where the majority of Americans live.
For example, as result of Texas' investment in new transmission, consumers are saving billions. The transmission lines are also already paying for themselves by allowing the state to double its use of low-cost wind energy. The Illinois Commerce Commission should be commended for taking steps to modernize the electric grid by approving transmission projects that will give Illinois access to more low-cost wind.
A January 2016 study by the Southwest Power Pool found that transmission upgrades are smart investments: a $3.4 billion investment by the grid operator in transmission improvements is expected to result in $16.6 billion in benefits over the life of the project.
- While coal is a significant part of the mix today, market forces and environmental rules are increasing its cost and diminishing its role.
When President Barack Obama speaks at the Illinois State Capitol Wednesday, I hope he mentions the Clean Power Plan rules that will increase wind and decrease polluting sources like coal. These rules, along with the bipartisan Clean Jobs Bill now pending in the General Assembly, will make Illinois healthier and more economically competitive.
— Kevin Borgia is a Public Policy Manager with Wind on the Wires, a wind power advocacy group that works across the Midwest.
Above is from: http://www.sj-r.com/opinion/20160205/kevin-borgia-wind-energy-low-cost-reliable-part-of-illinoiss-electricity-mix?Start=2
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