The Integration Costs of Wind and Solar Power

Content
Learning objectives
Target groups
Course details

When a new power plant is constructed, the developer expects to incur costs for planning, building and connecting the unit. However, integrating this unit into the existing power system results in additional costs related to delivering the produced power to the consumer at the precise time it is needed. These costs together are grouped under the term integration cost.

Because power generation from wind and solar photovoltaic (PV) power plants depends on weather conditions and therefore varies over time, the cost of integrating these units into a power system differs substantially from the integration cost of dispatchable power plants. Thus, understanding and being able to estimate the integration cost of variable renewable energy (VRE) (wind and solar PV) is key to determining total economic cost. This then allows for a welfare-optimal generation mix in the process of planning the transition to a decarbonised electricity system.

This course focuses on:

Grid costs
Balancing power costs
Effects on existing power plant utilisation
Total system cost approach

Receive a reminder one week before the registration deadline.

After completing this course, you should be able to:

explain the concept of integration cost, its purpose, definition and relevant points of discussion;
describe different approaches to the quantification of grid costs, balancing costs and the economic effects on existing conventional power plant utilisation;
specify the range of grid costs, balancing costs and economic effects on existing conventional power plant utilisation, and discuss possible reasons for variations in estimates; and
discuss the total system cost approach as an alternative for comparing integration cost in different scenarios and identify its strengths and limitations.

This course is suitable for those whom:

would like to get a detailled insight into the economics of grid integration of wind and PV;
want to compare grid integration costs with benchmark data; or
need to develop grid integration strategies for photovoltaic and wind power.

RENAC certificate upon successful completion of the course for participants who score 70% or higher on the exam.

Duration: 1 month.

Study time: about 12 hours.

Course language: English.

Detailed course description: a detailed course description is available for download.

E-learning platform: you can access the demo course on our e-learning platform.

Price: €286*

Contact
Raquel Cascales
Project Director E-Learning and Blended Learning
Tel: +49 (0)30 58 70870 46
Email: onlineacademy[at]renac.de

*incl. 19% German VAT

Additional Information

The Integration Costs of Wind and Solar Power

Highlights

Flexibility to study at any time and from any location
Contact with learning facilitators
Moderated discussion forum for students
Multimedia learning materials
Self-assessments
RENAC certificate upon successful completion of the course
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