Duck Curve
Duck Curve
The term ‘duck curve’ was first used by NREL in 2013. The curve resembled the body shape of a duck. Owing to the increased capacity of solar plants, the generation from solar energy during the day is at its maximum, offsetting the maximum energy demand from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. This poses a risk of over generation that can destabilize the grid. Similarly, after 5 p.m., the generation from the solar plants falls rapidly, and this leads to an increased demand for electricity from other sources that need to ramp-up their generation in a short time. This poses the risk of an increased cost of generation and blackouts, if demand is not met.
Reasons for the Occurrence Duck Curve
-A major increase in solar power plant capacity driven by a rapid decrease in solar installation cost over the past decade.
-The strong integration of solar power plants into the power grid.
-The cyclical nature of power generation in a solar power plant.
-The cyclical nature of intra-day demand, i.e. the increase in electricity demand during 5-8 p.m.
The Dangers Indicated by the Duck Curve
a) Overgeneration
b) Generation ramp-ups
c) Electricity generation cost perspective impacts
Measures to Tackle Duck Curve Impacts:
a) Use of Storage systems
b) Use of Mini Grids
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Impact of Duck Curve in Renewable Energy Industry and Remedies through Energy Storage:-
Electricity grid system management
Traditionally, the electrical grid system functions by meeting the system’s demand with appropriate generation at any point in time. The generation is adjusted to the varying demand i.e., peak demand times and low demand times. In a typical day, early morning and evening are the peak demand times as most people use their appliances during those times. Any traditional power generation technology can be set to increase generation with a variation in demand. However, renewable technologies like solar/wind are highly cyclical. The quantum of power generated is uncontrolled, hence, excess power either gets wasted (curtailment) or has to be integrated into the grid system to replace the electricity generation from traditional power plants.
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