Introduction

The increasing of renewable power generation is reducing the stability of the electric system. One of the major consequences is the reduction of the overall system inertia, which may cause a destabilisation of the system against rapid load variations. The patent proposes an auxiliary controller for wind turbine generators capable to limit this phenomenon in an innovative, safe and effective way.

Technical features

An auxiliary controller that allows a wind turbine generator to provide support to the electricity system in case of sever frequency transients. This support is provided exploiting the kinetic energy of the wind turbine rotor. The innovative elements of the patent are the definition of a support control action that preserves the wind turbine from undesired cut-off, the definition of a suitable logic to determine when the support is not necessary and a recovery strategy of the wind turbine rotor speed that will not nullify the performed support action.

Possible Applications

• New wind power generators (both onshore and offshore);
• Retrofitting of operating wind power generators;
• Compliancy to new connection requirements to the transmission grid.

Advantages

• Improving the integration wind power generators into the electric system;
• Reducing the footprint of electricity production thank to an increasing of the system hosting capacity of renewable energy sources;
• Improvement of the stability and resiliency of the electricity system.