The heart of the company’s integration solution, LiveData RTI Server provides the key digital linkage between the wind generation plants and the energy services markets run by the Midcontinent Independent Transmission System Operator (MISO).
LiveData Real-Time Integration (RTI) Server captures, transforms, and delivers real-time data streams across diverse systems and protocols, facilitating the process of bidding and transmission of electric power reserves between generation plants and regional distribution utilities. With LiveData’s RTI Server integration platform, three recently-completed RPMA wind farms in Iowa’s Delaware, Fayette and Greene counties provide power to the Midcontinent Independent Transmission System Operator (MISO).
An independent developer, owner, and operator of wind projects, RPMA developed the wind farms with design and engineering support from CEG. In addition to providing integration technology, LiveData worked closely with CEG to enable RPMA to comply with MISO’s energy market requirements.
MISO is one of several ISOs that are establishing markets for operating reserves, or ancillary services, as part of their Federal Energy Regulatory Commission charter. Ancillary services comprise reserve generation used to maintain the stability of the electric power supply when a primary generator or transmission line has an outage, caused by a sudden load, storm, or other event. ISOs detect these conditions immediately and send dispatch signals, using the Inter-Control Center Communications Protocol (ICCP), to ancillary generators. The ancillary markets enable power generation utilities to bid their reserves to dynamically satisfy this demand.
"Given the increasing need for clean electric power, success takes three elements: technology, expertise, and collaboration," said LiveData CEO Jeff Robbins. "When the bidding and resale process for unused assets is easier and more efficient, all parties benefit, starting with the generating facility and extending to the public at large. It is gratifying to be working together on helping make wind power dispatchable."
RPMA’s LiveData RTI Server installation provides protocol infrastructure and logic to exchange real-time market operations and balancing data between RPMA’s Rippey, Hawkeye, and, Elk wind farms in Iowa. Supporting ICCP and XML, LiveData RTI Server enables users to send meter data and receive dispatch and Automatic Generation Control signals as the market requires.
"In order for the market to succeed, integration among all the elements must be sure, safe, and standards-based," said CEG Vice President Pete Malamen. "Bridging the technical divide between communication protocols used by the market systems and those used by most DCS/SCADA systems, LiveData has the software and expertise necessary for connecting these markets to green energy."
"As the renewable energy share of the total Midwest generation continues to increase, most wind energy projects will have to become dispatchable to facilitate grid operation," said Felix Friedman, RPMA’s Chief Development Officer. "Since 2006, CEG has been collaborating with RPMA and our predecessor company, Midwest Renewable Energy Corporation, on substation design, and utility interconnection issues. The integration technology and support of LiveData and CEG is an important enabling element to our participation in the electric power markets."
As a result of their beneficial environmental impact and overall costs, wind power is attracting public attention, as well as investments from companies like Google, which has invested over $1billion in wind farms near its data centers. With major data centers in the Midwest, Google has invested $75 million in RPMA’s 50 MW Rippey Wind Farm in 2012.
