Wind Farm Control for Deferring Turbine Changes That Breach Grid Obligations
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conflicts often arise between local control demands of individual wind turbines within a renewable energy farm and the coordinated control demands at the farm level, potentially violating obligations towards the power grid.
Innovation Solution
A central control unit receives and evaluates requests for changes in wind turbine operations, deferring any operation that conflicts with the renewable energy farm's obligations to the power grid until such conflicts are resolved.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If local control demands are implemented for individual wind turbines, then local operational needs are met, but conflicts arise with grid-level obligations and farm-level coordinated control
Solution Approach 1:
The central control unit serves as an intermediary between local wind turbine controllers and grid-level control systems. It receives control demands from both sources, evaluates their compatibility, and coordinates their implementation to prevent conflicts. This mediator role ensures that local operational needs are met while maintaining compliance with grid obligations through centralized oversight and conflict resolution.
2Productivity
If wind turbines operate independently to meet local demands, then individual turbine performance is optimized, but the renewable energy farm may fail to meet coordinated control requirements
Solution Approach 1:
The system merges independent local control functions with centralized farm-level control through the central control unit. This unit consolidates control demands from multiple sources and coordinates their implementation across the renewable energy farm, ensuring that individual turbine operations contribute to overall farm objectives and maintain stable, coordinated control at the farm level.
3Speed
If control demands from multiple sources are executed simultaneously, then responsiveness to various requirements is improved, but conflicts between control demands arise
Solution Approach 1:
The central control unit performs preliminary evaluation of control demands before execution. It assesses the compatibility of incoming control requests with existing obligations and previously approved demands, identifying potential conflicts in advance. This preliminary action prevents control conflicts from occurring and maintains system responsiveness by resolving issues before they impact turbine operation.
Data Source
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AI summary
A method for controlling a renewable energy farm (1) comprising a plurality of wind turbines (2) and at least one central control unit (5) is disclosed. The wind turbines (2) of the renewable energy farm (1) are connected to a power grid (3). The central control unit (5) receives a request for change in operation of at least one of the wind turbines (2), where execution of the change in operation causes a change in power output of the wind turbine (2). The central control unit (5) checks whether or not the change in power output is in conflict with at least one obligation of the renewable energy farm (1) towards the power grid (3). In the case that the change in power output is in conflict with at least one obligation of the renewable energy farm (1) towards the power grid (3), execution of the change in operation is deferred.