The study, Active Power Controls from Wind Power: Bridging the Gaps, completed by NREL in conjunction with the Electric Power Research Institute and the University of Colorado, focused on assessing how wind power technology can assist the power grid by controlling the active power output being placed onto the system.

It has been found that it often could be economically beneficial to provide active power control,noting that potentially damaging loads on turbines from providing this control is negligible.

Active power control helps balance load with generation at various times, avoiding erroneous power flows, involuntary load shedding, machine damage, and the risk of potential blackouts. The study included a number of different power system simulations, control simulations, and field tests using turbines at NREL’s National Wind Technology Center (NWTC).

For wind power to provide active power control services, three things must happen:
-The wind power response needs to improve power system reliability; not impair it.

-It must be economically viable for wind power plants as well as electricity consumers. Because power plants may incur additional capital costs for the controls and reduce the amount of energy it sells to the market, there must be an incentive to provide the service
-Active power control should not have negative impacts on the turbine loading or induce structural damage that could reduce the life of the turbine.