Analysis of the contribution of load management to the cost efficient balancing of wind energy and the mitigation of grid congestions

The paper analyses the contribution of load management of electricity consumers to balance the power system and to mitigate grid extensions. It is found that load management could provide balancing power cost efficient in the reserve markets. The German minute reserve market is suited best with constant capacity payments and few activations per year. The potential of load management is too low to have a strong impact on the mitigation of grid congestions. The planned wind installations in the North Sea could cover up to 4 times the local demand. The most economic solution is the extension of the existing transmission grid.