Researchers from the University of Birmingham created a smart system that controls the storage and release of energy from wind turbines that reduce the risk of power cuts. This system would ultimately support an increase in worldwide wind energy adoption.
Energy supply regulation is a challenge. A sudden outage of power generation can result in a frequency dip and power cuts. As more wind turbines are integrated into the power system, it becomes difficult to balance supply and demand while keeping the system stable. This can cause frequent and severe frequency dips in the national power grid.
The new system uses the variable speed of the turbine rotors in wind systems to regulate the supply of wind power that is going to the grid. When electricity demand is too high, the system uses stored kinetic energy in the turbines to keep the grid stable. This system uses existing infrastructure without any additional devices or investments.
Frequency control response services from wind turbines could protect the national grid system from power cuts. It works by harnessing the potential of wind turbines operating at variable speeds, which provides the flexibility needed to respond to fluctuations in power supply and demand. The team validated the system in an industry-standard power grid simulator.
A paper on this technology was published in IEEE Open Access Journal of Power and Energy.
