Grid balancing
Grid balancing has become an important aspect for the power grid in meeting the supply of energy to the demand. In more recent years this has become less predictable with more renewable energy being installed into the grid.
This has resulted in wind farms being turned off at night time, when it is windy, but there is no demand. This has resulted in payouts,[1] most recently over £6m in 33 days has been paid by the grid to wind farms to not generate electricity.
Constraint payments are made to other electricity suppliers as well as wind. In 2011/2012, they totaled £324 million of which £31 million went to wind. In 2012/2013, thanks to improved transmission capability, payments were £130 million of which only £7 million were for wind.[2]
This temporarily excess electric energy could alternatively be used in electrolysis of water to make hydrogen fuel used in peaking power plants or for other purposes. Other energy storage systems can provide for using the energy at times of peak demand rather than run a separate peaking power plant.
