14:00 - 15:40
Room: Stora Salen
Chair/s:
Adolfo Anta
HYB25-48
Grid forming wind power in multi-technology hybrid power plants
04 HYB25-48
Presented by: Vahan Gevorgian
Vahan GevorgianWeihang YanShahil Shah
National Renewable Energy Laboratory, United States
The increasing need for power grids to maintain system strength and stability because of high shares of inverter-based resources (IBR) is a significant concern for grids in transition. Degrading grid strength is considered a main stability “deteriorator” in the evolving grid, along with decreasing inertia and short-circuit ratio. Droop-controlled grid-forming (GFM) converters, as first-order nonlinear systems, can improve stability better than phase-locked loop (PLL)-based grid-following (GFL) converters, which act as second-order nonlinear systems. Multi-technology hybrid power plants (HPP) that use GFM inverters in their wind and solar PV sub-plants and battery systems can become valuable stability contributors to IBR dominated grids. All benefits of hybridization (better dispatchability, flexibility and enhanced ancillary services) can be supplemented with grid strength and stability support by just switching to GFM mode in the inverters of HPP. Based on prior research conducted by NREL and others, GFM controls for wind power have promising potential and can be used in utility-scale wind power plants. In hybrid plants with and without GFM energy storage, GFM controls by wind can become an additional source of stability. However, measures must be taken to avoid any possible control interactions between various components of hybrid plants. In this presentation we provide insights on stability and grid strength contributions by GFM controls implemented in the inverters of wind power plants that operate as part of larger multi-technology HPPs. These results are based on both simulations and testing at NREL and provide comparative analysis of benefits by GFM wind consisting of Type 3 and Type 4 wind turbine generators. Analysis results also include comparisons with stability benefits provided by GFM battery energy storage systems and synchronous condensers that can also be a part of HPPs.