Analysis of the implementation of the primary and/or inertial frequency control in variable speed wind turbines in an isolated power system with high renewable penetration. Case study: El hierro power system

With high levels of wind energy penetration, the frequency response of isolated power systems is more likely to be affected in the event of a sudden frequency disturbance or fluctuating wind conditions. In order to minimize excessive frequency deviations, several techniques and control strategies involving Variable Speed Wind Turbines (VSWTs) have been investigated in isolated power systems. In this paper, the main benefits and disadvantages of introducing VSWTs— both their inertial contribution and primary frequency regulation—in an exclusively renewable isolated power system have been analyzed. Special attention has been paid to the influence of the delays of control signals in the wind farm when VSWTs provide primary regulation as well as to the wind power reserve value which is needed. To achieve this objective, a methodology has been proposed and applied to a case study: El Hierro power system. A mathematical dynamic model of the isolated power system, including exclusively renewable technologies, has been described. Representative generation schedules and wind speed signals have been fixed according to the observed system. Finally, in order to obtain conclusions, realistic system events such as fluctuations in wind speed and the outage of the generation unit with the higher assigned power in the power system have been simulated.