The requirements for wind turbines and services for grid code compliance

Introduction The advancement in offshore wind power technology has led to larger turbines and larger wind farms being deployed throughout Europe. Where previously wind farms had been thought of as single distributed power generators, they must now be considered as integral components of the overall energy supply system, and be subject to the same regulations as other types of power generation. The European Wind Energy Association (1) estimates that by 2020 between 14.4% and 16.7 % of the EUs electricity supply will be sourced from wind energy, both on land and offshore. The European Commissions energy strategy for Europe (2) suggests that up to 12% of this will be supplied by offshore wind farms. Due to the increase in the size of wind farms, and the requirement of Europes TSOs (Transmission System Operators) to integrate them into the network, grid code compliance rules have been implemented to ensure that offshore wind farms contribute to the system, and behave in the same way as conventional generators. Before connection to the grid, wind turbines and wind farms must certify that they comply with regulations surrounding frequency dependant active power supply (frequency control), Voltage control both steady state and dynamic, Voltage dependant reactive power injection and absorption, and fault ride through stability. While the European grid as a whole must undergo rapid redevelopment to access and integrate offshore wind power, the responsibility of turbine manufacturers and wind farm construction companies is to ensure that their equipment, when connected, has a positive impact on the overall system.

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Source: EWEA

Grid code requirements for wind turbines and wind farms The European Wind Energy association is working towards the harmonisation of grid code compliance across Europe, and in late 2009 issued the first template for a generic grid code (3) format for wind power plants. The organisation is in continued collaboration with the EU and with Europes TSOs to develop a fully continental-wide harmonised grid code. Some of the practical requirements for wind farms are discussed in detail below. Tolerance When connected to the transmission network, wind farms must show the capability to operate within defined parameters of minimum and maximum voltage and frequency. Voltage parameters are usually referred to as steady state values, but short term values incorporating a wider range may also apply for limited periods in adverse circumstances. Minimum and maximum frequency is a continuous value range, but again there are several short term ranges acceptable for short periods in extreme cases. In systems that have a high level of wind power integration, it is to be expected that the wind farm will continue to operate throughout system failures, at very low voltage levels. The grid code requirements for this fault ride through (FRT) situation can vary depending on the network, and in the case of some wind farms it is more viable to install additional equipment to ensure compliance.
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Reactive power control Reactive power production and consumption is a utility of power generation plants that wind farms must also comply with. Often voltage dependant, the wind farm must be able to control its power production or absorption to maintain a set level of voltage, which enables network operators to control the voltage passing through their systems. There may be rules within the grid code that regulate the speed of response and the accuracy of these controls. Some wind turbine manufacturers are able to produce turbine designs that fulfil these criteria, and wind farms as a whole may be able to meet the requirements with a high quality SCADA system. Usually the voltage is measured at the point of common coupling, although other locations may be specified depending on the connecting grid and its regulations. As wind power is such a variable energy source, it may prove more viable in some cases to introduce additional control equipment to achieve these standards. Active power control Active power control could, in the purest sense, be viewed as wastage for a wind turbine, but it is a vital component of the control of a network for all types of power generators. Active control is the ability to reduce power output to suit the requirements of the system. Conventional systems can offset the power output reduction with the saving in fuel thus making economic sense. As wind is a free source of energy, any reduction in power is a loss of energy, and system operators are encouraged to use this as a last resort measure when controlling networks. Wind turbines use different methods of power control; a pitched turbine can reduce power by adjusting the pitch of the blades, whereas stall-regulated turbines can contribute to the power reduction of the wind farm as a whole if individual turbines are shut down. Neither is the most accurate in real terms, and some grids implement a capping system whereby a wind farm, or group of wind farms, must maintain power output below a certain level at all

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times. In more complex scenarios a cap may require that power output is held at a fixed level below the full unrestrained power output possible if utilising full wind speed. To integrate into the network, some grids require that wind farms also control ramp rates of power output when wind power increases, or when failed turbines are returned to service. This is so the demand on other generators within the system can be managed more effectively. Where wind power is a major contributor to a system, there may also be regulations requiring the wind farm to contribute to frequency control. By increasing power output when the frequency is low and decreasing it under high frequency, the wind farm can help to maintain system frequency levels.

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References (1) http://www.ewea.org/index.php?id=196 (2) http://ec.europa.eu/energy/publications/doc/2011_energy2020_en.pdf (3) http://www.ewea.org/fileadmin/ewea_documents/documents/publications/091127_GGCF_Final_Draft.pdf (4) http://library.abb.com/global/scot/scot232.nsf/veritydisplay/50fab2bdc45be270c12572ea0050ae66/$File/STATC OM%20Technology%20for%20Wind%20Parks%20to%20Meet%20Grid%20Code.pdf Further references http://www.ewea.org/fileadmin/ewea_documents/documents/publications/position_papers/091210_EWEA_Har monising_Europes_GCs_for_the_Connection_of_Wind_Power_Plants.pdf http://www.wind-energy-the-facts.org/en/part-2-grid-integration/chapter-5-grid-connection-requirements/gridcodes-and-essential-requirements-for-wind-power-plants/grid-codes-and-essential-requirements-for-wind-powerplants.html

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