The relationship between base-load generation, start-up costs and generation cycling

Developments in the electricity sector such as the integration of increasing levels of renewable power, mainly wind, and the deregulation of electricity markets have resulted in some unconventional operation of base-load units. These units, which were originally designed for continuous operation, are now being forced into more flexible or cycling operation. This cycling operation results in serious physical degeneration of the unit’s components and hence incurs substantial costs to the plant operator. Using a planning tool of the Irish electricity system, the impact of increasing wind penetration on the operation of the base-load units is modelled. The results show that as wind penetration on the system increased, the base-load units were required to start up and shut down more often. However the units found to be cycled the most were not those with the cheapest start-up cost, but in fact those units with the shortest synchronisation time1. On the basis that the resulting cycling costs would increase the start-up costs of the base-load unit to some degree, the effect of increasing start-up costs on the operation of the base-load units was also examined. The results show that by increasing the start-up costs of base-load units, those units will be scheduled to operate in a more conventional base-loaded manner, the extent of which depends on the amount of wind power present.