New challenges to wind energy voltage control. Survey of recent practice and literature review

Abstract

Implementing sophisticated voltage controls of wind farms may provide manifold benefits such as reducing losses of the distribution network (DNET) and harvesting network (HNET), increasing the wind hosting capacity of transmission networks (TNETs) and reducing wind curtailments. However, it represents an enormous challenge since wind energy is dispersed increasing the complexity of the required centralised control systems. This study contains a comprehensive state-of-the-art review of the huge research that is available in the literature in order to foster the participation of onshore wind energy in voltage control. The current situation is described by the actual technological developments of control devices and the regulatory framework of a set of European countries with high wind penetration figures. A classification of key wind voltage control concepts will be proposed in order to understand and organise the available literature references. The state-of-the-art review covers the integration of wind energy through DNETs, smart grids and dedicated HNETs into the TNET, covering research from a steady state and also dynamic perspective. The new requirements of theTransmission system operators tend to suggest that wind farms should have a similar performance compared with conventional plants. Thus, in this study, special attention will be given to the literature review of HNETs since it has been the most promising alternative of integrating wind voltage control into the existing transmission grid hierarchical control schemes. A set of relevant field experiences and international projects will be described, showing some effort to implement academic research into practice.

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