Electricity system reliability has traditionally been guaranteed by planning the network with a high level of redundancy in both conventional generation and network capacity and by operating the system with relatively large security margins. In this way, end-customers in most of Europe have historically enjoyed a supply reliability close to 100%. However, the advent of renewable energy sources, whose weather-dependent production is variable and in part unpredictable, might change this paradigm. The question therefore arises as to what extent it is possible for a renewables-rich system to guarantee the same level of reliability of supply as before, and so what reliability level end-customers should expect.
Key discussion points
- Can a renewables-based system have the same reliability level as a “conventional” one. Is it about technical/technology aspects, cost, or both?
- Should the cost and value of reliability be made clearer to end-customers?
- Should we move towards a differentiated-reliability system?
- How reliable is the Smart Grid?
Panel Members:
Samuele Furfari – Policy Co-ordinator & Adviser to the Director General, Directorate – General for Energy, European Commission
Goran Strbac – Professor of Electrical Energy Systems, Imperial College London
Frauke Thies – Executive Director, Smart Energy Demand Coalition (Sedc)
Jean Verseille – Deputy CEO, Réseau de Transport d’Électricité (RTE), France
This is the 2nd panel discussion from IEEE's 2015 Summit on Secure Green Energy, held in Brussels on November 2015. Topics discussed include:
• Can a renewables-based system have the same reliability level as a “conventional” one. Is it about technical/technology aspects, cost, or both?
• Should the cost and value of reliability be made clearer to end-customers?
• Should we move towards a differentiated-reliability system?
• How reliable is the Smart Grid?