Predicting the amount of electricity created by sun and wind

The energy transition is in full swing in the Dominican Republic. A new forecasting system helps to reliably predict the electricity created by sun and wind, enabling grid operators to integrate renewable energies safely into the existing power grid.

The energy transition is in full swing in the Dominican Republic. A new forecasting system helps to reliably predict the electricity created by sun and wind, enabling grid operators to integrate renewable energies safely into the existing power grid.

“Our forecasting service increases the stability of the electricity supply. It also ensures economic benefits and more climate protection at the same time,” explains Manuel López San Pablo. “If our accurate predictions mean that less fossil energy is needed, grid operators can reduce costs and greenhouse gas emissions.

Manuel López San Pablo is the Director of the controlling body of the Dominican electricity sector – the Organismo Coordinador (OC). The OC is one of the partners developing the country’s energy sector towards climate protection and sustainability together with the Deutsche Gesellschaft für internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ).These efforts make sense because energy generation in the Dominican Republic is still heavily reliant on fossil resources and causes more than a third of greenhouse gas emissions.

Renewable energies on the rise

There is still a lot to be done, but the expansion of renewable energies is making visible progress: in 2019 alone, the installed capacity from renewable energies doubled compared to the previous year and now stands at around 600 megawatts. The proportion of renewable energies in electricity generation currently averages 11%, but up to 25% of gross electricity production has been occasionally covered on an hourly basis by solar and wind energy.

On-site visit: Meeting of the project partners in Santo Domingo

During her first visit to the Dominican Republic in February, GIZ department head Martina Vahlhaus also met with OC representatives, who informed her about their work for the transition of the energy system and the new central forecasting service developed by a German company.

Conclusion: The wind still blows from all directions and the sun either shines or is hidden behind clouds – but now the OC can predict these fluctuations precisely and the electricity grid operators can take them into account.