Operation and coordinated control of fixed and variable speed wind farms

This paper will describe the possibilities of coordinated control and management for different wind farm concepts to guarantee that operational set points of active and reactive power, specified by the Spanish transmission system operator (TSO), are reached. This coordinated control has been designed and implemented by a hierarchical and robust control structured from a central control level to each wind farm control board and finally to an individual wind turbine level. This article will demonstrate that both technologies, fixed and variable speed based wind farms can contribute to power and voltage control. In particular, this paper will deal with the use of under-load tap changing transformers in the point of common coupling of the wind farm with the grid, and the reactive power compensation by means of convectional mechanical switched capacitors enhancing the integration of the fixed speed wind farms in the power system.