Change in the air

With the higher levels of wind power and other renewable generation now included in the North American electrical system, operational information plays an increasing role in the decisions that grid operators are asked to make on a daily basis. While wind forecasting was something that was considered a luxury only a few years ago, it is critical to today's operation. There are other solutions that the industry is developing to incorporate high levels of wind, such as demand-side management, developing flexible resources to accommodate ramping and cycling needs, and developing larger BAs and market tools to allow the development of ancillary services. But wind forecasting will always be a crucial part of the solution and the primary tool that grid operators will rely on to implement policies and procedures to reliably and economically operate the system.