Using Interim Recommitment to Reduce the Operational-cost Impacts of Wind Uncertainty

Abstract

Using wind-availability forecasts in day-ahead unit commitment can require expensive real-time operational adjustments. We examine the benefit of conducting interim recommitment between day-ahead unit commitment and real-time dispatch. Using a simple stylized example and a case study that is based on ISO New England, we compare system-operation costs with and without interim recommitment. We find an important tradeoff-later recommitment provides better wind-availability forecasts, but the system has less flexibility due to operating constraints. Of the time windows that we examine., hour-20 recommitment provides the greatest operational-cost reduction.