Abstract:
One of the impacts of covid-19 pandemic is the deficit in energy access. The urgency of
accelerating progress toward universal energy access can’t be overstated as it influences every social, economic, and environmental goal. After exploring the environmental benefits of wind power, its role in reducing greenhouse gas emissions, and mitigating climate change, system operators are planning to increase generation by installing new capacities of wind power projects. This study focuses on the comprehensive analysis of a wind farm’s expansion, covering various aspects such as technical considerations, financial analysis, and feasibility assessment. The stochastic wind speed data of 24 hours is modeled in Matpower Optimal Scheduling Tool for real-time wind scenarios across a year. The optimization of wind energy data is used for the standard IEEE 30 bus network with a 20% increased load demand. The analysis of case studies by considering candidate capacities reveals the feasible capacity of wind generation to be installed in the future. The wind farm expansion project's overall feasibility is evaluated by considering factors such as wind resource assessment, site suitability, and grid connection feasibility. Furthermore, the project's financial viability is analyzed by assessing the initial investment, operational costs, revenue generation, and the time required to recover the investment and generate profits. The study also emphasizes the importance of project optimization strategies to maximize energy utilization, minimize curtailed capacity, and enhance overall performance The proposed feasible generation expansion approach offers an alternative planning strategy. As it provides a comprehensive understanding of the technical, financial, and environmental aspects of generation expansion planning, offering valuable insights to support informed decision-making and contribute to a sustainable and clean
energy future.
