Enhancement of Wind Power Penetration Level: In Perspective of System Strength Adequacy

Abstract

Modern wind turbines are connected to the grid through the power electronics converters. So, behavior of these generators differs from that of the conventional ones and gives rise to many difficulties. Reduction of system strength is one of them. At the point of common coupling (PCC), low system strength poses a threat to grid reliability and security. It causes different issues with voltage and protection devices. System strength at the PCC is commonly specified by an index called Short Circuit Ratio (SCR). A sufficient value of SCR is essential at the PCC to reduce voltage problems and to ensure protection devices operate properly during a fault. Short circuit ratio constrained economic dispatch puts a limit on the wind penetration level to the system to maintain desired SCR at the PCC that is both technically and economically harmful. In this paper, a method of increasing wind penetration level by supporting devices like Synchronous Condenser (SC), Static VAR Compensator (SVC) and Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) along with performance comparison between them has been presented. These devices contribute to the fault level thereby raising the system strength which ultimately results in increasing wind penetration level on the system. An Economic dispatch of the test system containing these devices are done in GAMS and the results are analyzed in DIgSILENT PowerFactory considering a modified IEEE 39 bus system.