Using ensemble NWP wind power forecasts to improve national power system management

National power systems are becoming increasingly sensitive to atmospheric variability as generation from wind (and other renewables) increases. As such, the days-ahead predictability of wind power has significant implications for power system management. At this time horizon, power system operators plan transmission line outages for maintenance. In addition, forecast users begin to form backup strategies to account for the uncertainty in wind power predictions. Under-estimating this uncertainty could result in a failure to meet system security standards, or in the worst instance, a shortfall in total electricity supply. On the other hand, overly conservative assumptions about the forecast uncertainty incur costs associated with the unnecessary holding of reserve power. Using the power system of Great Britain (GB) as an example, we construct time series of GB-total wind power output using wind speeds from either reanalyses or global weather forecasts. To validate the accuracy of these data sets, wind power reconstructions using reanalyses and forecast analyses over a recent period are compared to measured GB-total power output. The results are found to be highly correlated on time scales greater than around 6 hours. Results are presented using ensemble wind power forecasts from several national and international forecast centres (obtained through TIGGE). Firstly, the skill with which global ensemble forecasts can represent the uncertainty in the GB-total power output at up to 10 days ahead is quantified. Following this, novel ensemble forecast metrics are developed to improve estimates of forecast uncertainty within the context of power system operations, thus enabling the development of more cost effective strategies. Finally, the predictability of extreme events such as prolonged low wind periods or rapid changes in wind power output are examined in detail. These events, if poorly forecast, induce high stress scenarios that could threaten the security of the power system.