When weather impacts the power grid

Solar and wind power generation investments continue to be strong, but those investing in these solutions need to address certain concerns moving forward in order to ensure that demand and expectations are being met. For some, one of those challenges is inclement weather.

Regarding solar and wind power, weather can have a major impact on generation rates. Consistently cloudy days will have an impact on solar farms, while heavy wind, or very light wind, can negatively affect a wind turbine's capacity. In fact, solar and wind power production in Germany has been markedly lower than installation capacity, due in part to these issues. According to The Energy Collective, the installed capacities for solar and wind production in Germany were 35 GW and 32 GW, respectively, in 2013. However, the aggregate solar and wind generation for the year barely reached 35 GW, just over half of the potential power provided by these resources. With these installations being supported by tax credits by the government, this means their value isn't being achieved and loss is occurring, despite the reported potential of cleaner energy generation.

This risk is also prevalent in the United States, the news source reported. the energy quota system in the U.S. sets projections for solar and wind generation, and many utilities and agencies are building farms based on these projections using tax credits that might not be achieved should the weather be uncooperative.

"An RPS is most successful in driving renewable energy projects when combined with the federal production tax credit. Having adequate transmission capacity to accommodate generation from renewable resources is important for the success of an RPS."

An RPS, according to the source, is a way to increase renewable energy generation using a cost-effective, market-based approach that is administratively efficient.

These trends shouldn't ward firms off from investing in clean, renewable energies, but rather present them with a broader image of the needs involved with these efforts. Investing in high-quality smart grid solutions, including Ethernet I/O and serial to Ethernet converters to support data transmission for optimized operations, will help support the forward evolution of the energy industry as a whole.

Perle offers a range of cost effective serial-to-Ethernet converters to help meet NERC-CIP compliance for the protection of critical cyberassets in substations. The IOLAN SDS HV/LDC Terminal Server is designed to meet harsh environments associated with Power Substations with attributes such as support for substation AC and DC voltage ranges, extended operating temperatures and meeting emission, immunity and safety approvals associated with substation IT equipment.