Ventyx, EnerNex Corp. and the Midwest ISO have announced that they have been selected to conduct a landmark study for the U.S. Department of Energy's National Renewable Energy Laboratory to help inform major policy decisions regarding transmission and generation planning, state and federal renewable energy targets and other facets of energy supply in the Eastern United States. This first-of-its-kind comprehensive regional assessment will evaluate the operational impacts on the power system associated with increasing wind capacity to 20 percent and 30 percent of retail electric energy sales in 2024 for the region.

The scope of the project is beyond that of anything previously attempted anywhere in the world. The Eastern Wind Integration and Transmission Study involves multiple interconnected areas ranging from the Dakotas to Oklahoma and eastward to Maine, and includes the Midwest Independent System Transmission System Operator (Midwest ISO), Southwest Power Pool, Tennessee Valley Authority, PJM Interconnection, New York Independent System Operator, ISO-New England and Mid-Continent Area Power Pool transmission market areas. These areas constitute the study region of the Joint Coordinating System Plan.

According to Dave Corbus, senior engineer at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory, "This study will allow us to evaluate what 20 percent and 30 percent wind penetration in the Eastern electrical grid really looks like in terms of wind resource potential, future transmission requirements and the impacts on the electrical grid due to the variable nature of wind power."

"EnerNex and Ventyx are relying on the Midwest ISO to build upon prior integration studies, work performed by the Joint Coordinated System Planning Study currently in progress and related technical work to produce a complete analysis," said John Lawhorn, director, Regulatory & Economic Studies for the Midwest ISO, "in addition to the development of multiple transmission plans for the Eastern United States."

Midwest ISO will apply simulation models from Ventyx PowerBase & PROMOD IV software to develop regional outputs for wind generation totaling more than 300 gigawatts of capacity. According to Ventyx VP of Energy Advisors Gary Moland, "By simulating the applicable region under a variety of operating and market conditions, MISO can quantify operating risks and impacts, such as highly volatile wind operation and the significant difficulties in day-ahead wind forecasting. We will also support MISO in analyzing and investigating model results and in developing a detailed forecast of market prices and system operation under the various study scenarios."