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Strategies to Reduce Energy Curtailment in a Power System with High Penetration of Renewable Energy: Case Study of San Cristobal, Galapagos

Abstract:

Energy production from renewable sources has increased considerably around the globe. In electrical systems with a high penetration of renewable resources, there are periods in which the available renewable energy exceeds the total system demand; therefore, the surplus renewable energy is not used, and it is curtailed. In this context, this project analyzed various scenarios and tries to find a strategy to reduce energy curtailment in the power system of San Cristobal in Galapagos. To accomplish this goal, we evaluated multiple alternatives for energy storage, considering the generation scenarios of the Electrification Master Plan (PME, by its acronym in Spanish) and the estimated demand for the year of installation of new renewable energy projects. The alternatives studied are cryogenic energy storage, lithium-ion batteries, flow batteries, and the incorporation of a battery swap station for electric vehicles. A first simulation using Homer Energy determined the excess of electrical production for each month, and then separate simulations were performed in MATLAB for each alternative, estimating the reduction in energy curtailment and performance of each technology. As a result, the two most convenient alternatives are a battery swap station, reducing the energy curtailment to 19.7%, and flow batteries allowing the most significant reduction in energy curtailment to 12.1%. These two technologies operate in separate scenarios; nevertheless, they can work as a complement for the other one, but local regulations must be developed to allow the incorporation of this kind of technologies. The results from this project demonstrate that energy curtailment could be reduced with the use of energy storage systems. The current PME estates the implementation of renewable energy projects that could increase the energy curtailment due to the low demand.