Frequency Control and Wind Turbine Technologies

TLDR

Wind generation growth raises concerns about frequency control because wind turbines lack inherent inertia, leading to higher rates of change and larger frequency excursions, especially in small isolated systems. The study proposes adjusting reserve policies or modifying turbine inertial response to support higher wind penetration.

Abstract

Increasing levels of wind generation has resulted in an urgent need for the assessment of their impact on frequency control of power systems. Whereas increased system inertia is intrinsically linked to the addition of synchronous generation to power systems, due to differing electromechanical characteristics, this inherent link is not present in wind turbine generators. Regardless of wind turbine technology, the displacement of conventional generation with wind will result in increased rates of change of system frequency. The magnitude of the frequency excursion following a loss of generation may also increase. Amendment of reserve policies or modification of wind turbine inertial response characteristics may be necessary to facilitate increased levels of wind generation. This is particularly true in small isolated power systems.