About this Research Topic

Background

Wind energy is one of the most mature renewable technologies with a high degree of deployment in most electrical systems globally. This deployment has been possible thanks to the technological developments that have taken place in recent decades, making wind energy the renewable technology with the largest installed capacity in the world (with the exception of hydro technology).

However, this situation of technological leadership is being challenged by the rapid technological development and cost reduction that photovoltaic technology has been experiencing in recent years. As an example, data provided by the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) indicate that 98 GW of solar technology was installed globally in 2019, compared to 59 GW of wind energy. IRENA also estimates that the capacity to reduce costs by solar technology (58% up to 2030) is significantly higher than that of wind technology (25% for onshore wind and 55% for offshore wind up to 2030).

This new situation is leading the wind energy sector to renew itself by developing new technological solutions and business models that allow for an increase in the market value of wind technology, in terms of new technological improvements that favour cutting costs and reduce the Levelized Cost of Energy, but also innovations that are aimed at a better integration into the grid in order to facilitate a safer and more efficient operation of electrical systems with a majority presence of renewable variable generation sources; which is of great importance for the transition towards new highly decarbonized energy systems. Therefore, this collection of papers aims to compile new solutions and initiatives in the wind sector focused on increasing its market value, not only by reducing costs but also by highlighting the capabilities of wind technology to contribute to the optimal operation of the electricity system in a context of the energy transition as well as summarizing recent research progresses in environmental and socio-economic aspects including also the contribution of wind energy in the so-called green recovery to overcome the economic crisis caused by Covid-19.

This Research Topic welcomes submissions addressing the following themes:
• Development of innovative technological solutions aimed at cost reduction and integration of wind energy, both onshore and offshore.
• New solutions based on hybrid wind farms involving other renewable or storage technologies.
• Innovation in industrial design and manufacturing processes, installation methods, as well as procedures and methodologies aimed at operation and maintenance.
• Development of new artificial intelligence techniques aimed at optimising wind systems.
• Wind resource assessment and energy forecasting.
• Integration in electricity markets and new trends in securing revenue streams: public auctions, merchant projects and Power Purchase Agreements.
• Analysis of regulatory frameworks and proposal of normative improvements.
• New advances in the analysis of the socio-economic and environmental value of wind energy.
• Contribution of wind energy to the economic recovery from the crisis caused by COVID-19.

Keywords: electricity markets, grid integration, LCOE, regulatory framework, wind energy technology

Important note: All contributions to this Research Topic must be within the scope of the section and journal to which they are submitted, as defined in their mission statements. Frontiers reserves the right to guide an out-of-scope manuscript to a more suitable section or journal at any stage of peer review.

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