REnewALL: 21st Century Solutions for 20th Century Wind Projects

The REnewALL project sought to improve the integration of pre-2000 wind turbines into modern grid operations. These older turbines cannot be shut down or restarted remotely, leading to higher costs for wind plant operators and constraining the ability of the grid to respond to imbalances between supply and demand. The REnewALL project addressed this problem in three ways: (1) by developing a low-cost remote communications and control system using wireless mesh networks to provide remote monitoring and dispatch capabilities; (2)by constructing a forecasting algorithm to assist operators in deciding when to dispatch turbines; and (3) by analyzing the financial aspects of a battery energy storage system to reduce demand peaks at a wind power plant site. Economic analysis found that a properly sized energy storage system could greatly reduce peak loads and associated demand charges, with a payback of three to four years. The remote dispatch system and forecast algorithm successfully operated during a three-month field test involving nine turbines at a wind plant in Tehachapi, California. All designs and software used for these systems are publicly available, with details provided in this report.