Coordinated Operation of Concentrating Solar Power Plant and Wind Farm for Frequency Regulation

As a dispatchable renewable energy technology, the fast ramping capability of concentrating solar power (CSP) can be exploited to provide regulation services. However, frequent adjustments in real-time power output of CSP, which stems out of strategies offered by ill-designed market, may affect the durability and the profitability of the CSP plant, especially when it provides fast regulation services in a real-time operation. We propose the coordinated operation of a CSP plant and wind farm by exploiting their complementarity in accuracy and durability for providing frequency regulation. The coordinated operation can respond to regulation signals effectively and achieve a better performance than conventional thermal generators. We further propose an optimal bidding strategy for both energy and frequency regulations for the coordinated operation of CSP plant and wind farm in day-ahead market (DAM). The validity of the coordinated operation model and the proposed bidding strategy is verified by a case study including a base case and sensitivity analyses on several impacting factors in electricity markets.