Managing Renewable Energy Integration

According to projections by the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA), from 2010 to 2040, U.S. electricity sales will grow by 23 percent. EIA projects that 35 percent of the new generation required to meet demand will come from non-hydropower renewable energy sources such as wind and solar, while 56 percent will come from natural gas.

As more renewable energy sources are brought onto the grid, grid operators will rely on an expanding mix of tools to integrate renewable energy sources while providing reliable power. This paper focuses on the use of flexible generation, such as that provided by natural gas turbines, in the transition to a cleaner, diverse generating fleet.