Combining Wind and Water
Hydro-Québec's Objectives
- To continue working toward sustainable development
- To guarantee a reliable, high-quality supply of electricity at a competitive price
- To become a world leader in integrating wind power into a major power system
Advantages
Hydropower
- clean
- renewable
- available at all times
- water can be stored and the flow through the turbines can be controlled to generate electricity when it is needed
Wind power
- clean
- renewable
- variable, depends on wind speed
- wind cannot be stored and its speed cannot be controlled
The challenge: combine water and wind to make the most of both generating options.
Electric utilities need to maintain a balance between generation output (supply) and load (demand) at all times. This means that electricity must be generated just when the customer needs it.
Since the output of a wind turbine varies according to wind speed and is only partially predictable, wind power must be used in conjunction with a more controllable source of energy. Countries with extensive wind capacity, such as Germany, rely on thermal generation to complement wind power.
In Québec, hydroelectricity-a renewable source of energy-serves as the baseload option, complemented by wind generation. The two options are being developed in tandem.
Main components of a wind turbine
