MEASUREDEFFECTOFWINDGENERATIONON THEFUELCONSUMPTION OFAN ISOLATEDDIESELPOWER SYSTEM

TheBlock Island PowerCompany(BIPCO), an BlockIsland, RhodeIsland, operates anisolated electric power system consisting ofdiesel generation andanexperimental wind turbine. The150-kW windturbine, designated MOD-OAbythe U.S.Department ofEnergy istypically operated inparallel with twodiesel generators toserve anaverage winter loadof350kW. Windgeneration serves upto60%ofthesystem demanddepend- ingonwindspeed andtotal system load. Results ofdiesel fuel consumption measurements aregiven forthediesel units operated inparallel withthewindturbine andagain without thewind turbine. Thefuelconsumption dataareusedtocalculate the amountoffuel displaced bywindenergy. Results indicate that the windturbine displaced 25,700 lbs. ofthediesel fuel during the test period, representing acalculated reduction infuel consumption of6.7%while generating 11%ofthetotal electrical energy. The amountofdisplaced fueldepends onoperating conditions and system load. Itisalso shownthatdiesel engine throttle activity resulting fromwindgusts whichrapidly change thewindturbine output donotsignificantly influence fuel consumption.