The Institute of Asset Management Addresses Power Plant Cycling Causality

LITTLETON, Colo. - April 13, 2017 - PRLog -- Renewable Impacts (RI) announced today that its' development of power plant cycling causality analysis has been recognized as a very timely topic for electric power asset managers by The Institute of Asset Management (IAM). As reported in their February issue of "Assets" magazine, IAM reviews the connection between power plant cycling, plant damage and how to identify specific causes or drivers of that damage based on a breakthrough analysis approach called power plant cycling causality.

"Power plant cycling is an expensive and disruptive operating mode that poses a concern for all who own and operate today's critical power plants." said James R. Schetter, President of Renewable Impacts LLC. Mr. Schetter added, "Power plant cycling causality analysis is a sound and powerful tool for dealing with the twin asset management issues of increasing O&M budgets and troubling reliability at important power plants due to cycling."

In addition to describing the RI cycling causality approach, the IAM article presents actual cycling causality results from RI research covering the California independent system operator (CAISO). These results, covering 2011-2013, show strong growth in wind and solar cycling causality and that the cycling induced by solar was found to be three times that of wind. Although renewables were not found to be the most responsible cycling driver during the period, their surprising growth suggests that asset managers should focus on tracking annual assessments of renewable-induced cycling impacts. With this knowledge comes the power to set strategies and plans that could avoid cycling damage before it shows up.

To view the entire IAM cycling causality article go to the Feb 2017 IAM issue at: www.theIAM.org/magazine.

If you are not an IAM member, a free download of the full white paper developed for the IAM article can be found at: www.renewableimpacts.com.