How does wind power affect peak load?
Unlike conventional power plants, wind turbines cannot be “dispatched” in response to fluctuating demand needs. Wind turbines respond only to the wind, so their contribution to supply is random. The wind may be high when demand is low, or vice versa. If there is sufficient demand when the wind rises, wind power may reduce the need for other plants to supply power. On the other hand, if the wind drops when there is still demand, other plants must quickly jump in to cover the loss. The more frequent ramping or switching of these other plants raises costs and may lower their efficiency and increase their emissions.
