CAISO sets wind peak record; solar curtailments rise on surge of wind generation
The California Independent System Operator set a new wind generation peak of 6.178 MW, topping the previous record by 7.4%, the grid operator recently announced in its February Key Statistics Report.
The record was reached at 12:56 pm Feb. 15, surpassing the previous record of 5.754 MW set May 29, 2021, according to the report. As wind generation surged, South Hub real-time five-minute interval prices dropped to minus $1.14/MWh, according to CAISO data.
North Hub on-peak real-time locational marginal prices fell to minus $5.39/MWh for Feb. 15, compared with the February average of $15.35/MWh, according to CAISO data.
The record caused wind penetration to spike to a nine-month high of 15.4% for Feb. 15, according to S&P Global Commodity Insights’ CAISO wind renewable penetration index. At the same time, solar curtailments increased to offset the surge in wind generation.
Peak demand served by renewables reached a month high of 7.062 GW Feb. 15, a 1.6% decrease month on month, according to the February Key Statistics Report.
CAISO wind capacity
CAISO has 26.257 GW of installed renewable capacity within its footprint, of which 30% or 7.888 GW is wind, according to the February Key Statistics Report. Solar leads renewable capacity with 56.99%, or 14.963 GW.
