International Research Journal of Engineering and Technology (IRJET) e-ISSN: 2395-0056
Volume: 12 Issue: 05 | May 2025 www.irjet.net p-ISSN: 2395-0072
A REVIEW OF ENHANCING POWER QUALITY OF GRID-CONNECTED WIND ENERGY SYSTEMS USING STATCOM FOR IMPROVED STABILITY AND PERFORMANCE
Sweta Yadav1 , Dr. Imran Khan2, Dr Malik Rafi3
1Master of Technology, Electrical Engineering, Azad Institute of engineering and technology Lucknow, India
2Assistant Professor, Electrical Engineering, Azad Institute of engineering and technology Lucknow, India
3Professor, Electrical Engineering Department, RRIMT, Lucknow , India
Abstract - Withtherapid connectionofwindenergyinto electrical grids, new challenges related to power quality, stability and reliability are introduced. The presence of variabilityinwindgenerationsubjectsthesystemtovoltage fluctuations, harmonic distortions, reactive power imbalance, and poor system stability requiring advanced techniques to mitigate many of these problems. Of all the Flexible AC Transmission System (FACTS) devices, the Static Synchronous Compensator (STATCOM) is a very efficient technology to improve the power quality of grid-connected wind energy system. This review paper comprehensively analyzes the STATCOM role in the solution of essential power quality issues, improvement of the system stability, and compliance with the modern grid codes. STATCOM Operational Principles, control strategies, latest technological development and various case studies on practical implementation is systematically discussed in the paper. In addition, it reports on the current research challenges, the technological limitations and outlines future research directions that will enhance integration of intelligent control concepts and low cost STATCOM solutions. However, it also aspires to be a key document for researchers, engineers, and policymakers trying to advance the performance and reliability of power systems built aroundrenewables.
Key Words: Wind Energy Systems, Power Quality Improvement, Grid Stability, Static Synchronous Compensator (STATCOM), Reactive Power Compensation, FACTSDevices,RenewableEnergyIntegration
1. INTRODUCTION
1.1.Background
Increases in the global demand of green energy solutions have led to expand the integration of the renewable energy sources in the modern electrical grids. Of these sources, the oil wind energy is among the most widely adopted technologies because it provides environmental benefits, technological progress and cost competitive. Onshoreandoffshorewindfarmsarebeingconstructedin countriesaroundtheglobetolessendependencyonfossil fuel and to achieve climate change goals. Although wind energy production is intermittent and variable, grid operatorsstillfacespecialchallenges.Unlikeconventional
generation sources, a wind power’s generation output is highly dependent on meteorological conditions which causesavariabilityinenergyproductiondirectlyaffecting the quality and stability of the electrical grid. With the increasing share of wind energy in power generation, the requirements on reliable power delivery, maintaining voltage and frequency standards as well as minimizing power disturbances are of prime importance for grid management.
1.2.Importance
of Power Quality and Stability in Modern Electrical Grids
Modernpowersystemsaredependentonrobust,efficient and reliable operation and thus power quality and grid stability should be fundamental in the operation of the power system design. Gladly, high power quality assures that electrical equipment functions within its specified voltage, frequency, and harmonic limits, therefore extending the equipment life as well as system efficiency. On the rare occasions when large scale outages are experienceditisimportanttohavesomestabilityinorder to minimize the duration and magnitude of the outages and to maintain continuous service to the consumers. Integrating high penetrations of wind energy without proper measures related to mitigation can result in large power quality problems; voltage sags, swells, flicker, harmonicsandreactivepowerdeficiency.Inaddition,both these disturbances affect sensitive consumer loads and can damage the operational security of the grid itself. Thus,a powerful integrationof renewable energy sources such as wind into the power grid necessitates more sophisticated integrated control strategies and dynamic
International Research Journal of Engineering and Technology (IRJET) e-ISSN: 2395-0056
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support mechanisms to retain the standards of power quality and grid stability as close as possible to the ones expectedinthecaseofconventionalsources.
1.3.Problem Statement
Wind energy, on the other hand, has great environmental and economic advantages; however, there exist several technicalissuesthatneedtobesolvedtomaintainoptimal integration in the grid. Of these challenges, the most significant are voltage fluctuations associated with rapid variation of wind speed, harmonic distortions caused by theuseofpowerelectronicconverters,andreactivepower imbalance which can lead to voltage instability and lower system reliability. If these power quality issues are not mitigatedappropriately,frequenttrippingofwindturbine, reduced efficiency, non compliance with grid codes, and even widespread blackouts may take place. Hence, solutions are needed to address the adverse impacts of wind energy systems on grid operation and providing uninterrupted,stableandhighqualityofpowersupply.
1.4.Objective of the Review
This review paper identifies the objective of finding out the role of the Static Synchronous Compensator (STATCOM) to improve power quality and stability on wind energy systems that are grid connected. Being a member of Flexible AC Transmission Systems (FACTS) family,STATCOMhasshownmuchcapabilityindelivering dynamic reactive power as well as providing voltage regulation and harmonic mitigation. In this paper, some latest research developments in the application of STATCOMforwindenergysystemsareaaresynthesizedin terms of different control strategies, technological advances,andpracticalexperiences.Inaddition,whilethe review seeks to discover the existing challenges, technological gaps and future research directions in this field, it is hoped that the findings will foster further development and improvement of the optimization techniquesinthisarea.
2. OVERVIEW OF WIND ENERGY SYSTEMS
2.1.Basic
Components and Operation
Wind energy systems predominantly comprise of wind turbine, electrical generator, and power electronic converters, in association, which convert the kinetic energy of wind to generate usable electric power. Rotor blades catch wind for wind turbines. They are linked to a hub and drive shaft which transmit mechanical energy to the generator. There are several types of generators for modern wind energy system, which performs differently depending on the application requirements. On this account the Squirrel Cage Induction Generator (SCIG) is extensively utilized for its simplicity, robustness and costeffectiveness. However, it is less suitable for weak
grids for this reason that it is unable to independently control reactive power. On the other hand, Doubly Fed Induction Generator (DFIG) is commonly used in large scale wind turbines because variable speed operation is facilitatedalong with enhancedcontrol of bothactive and reactive power through a smaller scale power electronic converter that is coupled at the rotor. The fact that full converter based generators (ie, Permanent Magnetic Synchronous Generators (PMSGs)) give us complete generator decoupling from the grid comes with the advantage of higher power quality as well as better fault ride through capability. These systems rely on power electronicconverterssuchasback to back Voltage Source Converters (VSCs) that offer energy conversion efficiency aswellasgridcodecomplianceandcontrolfunctionalities.
2.2.Grid
Connection Challenges
Although design and utilization of wind turbine have significant improvement in technology, incorporation of wind energy in grid faces major challenges. One of the problems is voltage instability, which is manifested in voltagesagsandswellsduetofluctuatingwindspeedsand quick changes in power generated. It can create the operation problems of wind turbines and other grid connected equipments. Another problem is frequency instability particularly in power systems with high wind powerpenetration,wherethetraditionalinertialresponse of conventional synchronous generators are reduced. In addition, wind turbines, including those with power electronic interfaces produce harmonic distortions and may degrade power quality and lead to overheating or malfunction of sensitive equipment. Rapid variations in the output power can produce flicker that causes noticeablelightingintensity,andflicker,orothersensitive load fluctuations. The operation with low power factor, especially in the case of fixed speed wind turbines, can require additional reactive power from the grid to be compensated for externally. All this stresses the use of sophisticated control mechanisms and grid support
International Research Journal of Engineering and Technology (IRJET) e-ISSN: 2395-0056
Volume: 12 Issue: 05 | May 2025 www.irjet.net p-ISSN: 2395-0072
technologies for the purpose of reliable and stable power systemoperation.
2.3.Need for Power Quality Improvement
Considering the growing electrical power consumption, it is expected that power quality standards will be strictly observed for grid operators and regulatory bodies, especially because of the increasing share of wind energy in global electricity generation. End users suffer from powerqualityproblemswhichinturnaffectgridstability, efficiency, and life of attached equipment. Harmonic distortion,voltagefluctuations,flickerandreactivepower balance in power systems have been defined into acceptable limits using: International standards like IEEE 519andotherIECguidelines.Tobecertifiedandtoavoid grid connection refusals, wind farms have to comply with these standard. Commonly in wind energy systems, strict requirements established by regulatory frameworks requirereactivepowersupport,ridethroughcapabilityin the presence of faults, and mitigation of harmonic issues within prescribed boundaries. Consequently, there is a regulatory obligation as well as operational necessity to improve the power quality of wind integrated grids. For this reason, the adoption of advanced technologies, namely STATCOMs, is required to dynamically and adequately face the power quality and stability problems generatedbyhighinjectionofwindenergy.
3. IMPACT OF WIND ENERGY SYSTEMS ON GRID POWER QUALITY
3.1.Power
Fluctuations
The introduction of power fluctuations is one of the most important impacts of wind energy systems to grid, primarily due to the inherent, variable nature of wind speed. Whereas conventional power plants have the abilitytocontroltheiroutput,basedondemand,outputof windturbinesareveryatmosphericdependent.Therefore, sudden gusts or drops in wind speed results in a rapid change in output power leading to mismatch between generationandload.Fluctuationsoftheseloadscancause frequencydeviations,voltageinstabilityandhighstressin the grid infrastructure of weak and isolated networks. Power fluctuations can also lead to load shedding, equipment damage or tripping of generation units if not properlymanaged.
3.2.Voltage Regulation Issues
Wind energy systems, particularly those of fixed speed with induction generator, pose significant challenges to provide voltage regulation. Whether the power generated is greater or less than the demand and system strength willdeterminetheamountofsagsorswellsthevoltageat the point of common coupling (PCC) can experience. Voltagedipsoccurduringperiodsoflowwindspeedwhen
the supplied reactive power is not sufficient and voltage rises when the wind generation suddenly increases. Additionally, in case of faults or in the event of grid disturbances,windturbinesmaynotinherentlycontribute to voltage support, exacerbating the voltage instability issue. Thus, the effective voltage regulation mechanisms becomeessentialtopreventserviceinterruptionsandalso toprotectthesensitivegridcomponents.
3.3.Harmonic
Distortions
Modern wind turbines make use of power electronic converters for reasons of control and efficiency, which in turn lead to the injection of harmonic distortions in the grid. Harmonics generated from nonlinear switching operations of the converters are transmitted through the electrical network. Such systems produce high harmonic content, which causes additional losses in transformers and cables, overheating of equipment, interference with communication systems as well as malfunction of protection devices. When harmonic levels are beyond allowed limits indicated by the standards such as IEEE 519,thequalityandreliabilityofthewholepowersystem couldbeaffected.Thereforeproperharmonicfilteringand mitigation strategies are needed to maintain the grid complianceandoperationalefficiency.
3.4.Reactive Power Imbalance
Induction machines used for wind turbine operations consume large quantities of reactive power for magnetisationprocess.Thisreactivepowerdemandinthe absenceofdedicatedcompensationdevicescontributesto voltage instability, reduces effective power carrying capacity of the transmission lines. Some reactive power controlcanbeofferedbyvariablespeedturbineswithfull or partial converters, but balancing the reactive power under dynamic conditions is difficult to maintain. Lack of reactive power support adds to the exacerbation of voltage fluctuations and increases in transmission losses, reducingthegrid’simmunitytodisturbances.
3.5.Flicker
Effects
Flicker is rapid and repeated changes in voltage that can cause noticeable brightness changes in electric lighting andinterferencewiththeoperationofsensitiveelectronic devices.Flickercanbeperceivedbyhumanvisionanditis produced by wind turbines, especially during turbulent wind conditions or connection and disconnection on the grid. While flicker level is dependent on turbine and grid strength,as well aslocal loadconditions, excessive flicker can lead to customer complaints and operational limitations for wind farms. The flicker level monitoring andconstraintbecomes,therefore,animperativefor both winddevelopersandutilitiestocollaboratetocontroland restrict this parameter to acceptable levels as per internationalstandards.
International Research Journal of Engineering and Technology (IRJET) e-ISSN: 2395-0056
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3.6.Frequency Stability Issues
However, with the ever increasing penetration of wind energy comesthe loss oftraditionersin providinginertial response and primary frequency control. Integration of modern wind turbines into the system generally does not inherently add system inertia, as the rotational speed is decoupled from grid frequency by means of power electronic converters. Hence, the rate of change of frequency(RoCoF)wouldbemorepronouncedduringbig disturbances and may cause frequency instability or even systemcollapse. To overcome thischallenge, modern grid codes more and more demand synthetic inertia or frequency support capabilities from wind farms, which still poses a technical and economic problem to implement.
4. INTRODUCTION TO FACTS DEVICES AND STATCOM
4.1.Flexible AC Transmission Systems (FACTS)
The text addresses Flexible AC Transmission Systems, which are advanced technology that can augment the controllability, efficiency and stability of power transmission network. With the rise of the renewable energy sources such as wind and solar, modern electrical grids are evolving and providing them flexible and dynamic control over power flows becomes quite necessary. FACTS devices using state of the art power electronic components enable operators to regulate parameterssuchasvoltage,impedance,andphaseanglein real time and thus facilitate enhanced system reliability, reducedtransmissionlosses,andimproveduseofexisting infrastructure without extensive upgrades. In particular, theirroleisimportantforprovidinghigherpowertransfer capabilities,stabilityproblemsminimization,andtheeasy integrationofthevariablegenerationsourcesintothegrid (what is required for the sustainable growing of the world'senergydemand).
TheStaticSynchronousCompensator(STATCOM)isoneof thehighlypromisingFACTSdeviceswhichcanbeusedfor reactive power compensation and voltage regulation. STATCOMisdesignedtoproduceacontrollableACvoltage fromaDCsourcethroughaVoltageSourceInverter(VSI). Being able to adjust the magnitude and phase angle of its output voltage relative to the grid, the STATCOM can instantaneously inject or absorb reactive power. In capacitive mode it supplies reactive power when the output voltage is greater than the grid voltage and inductive mode when it is less. The STATCOM has this dynamic capability to stabilize grid voltage quickly in the normal condition and during disturbances, enhancing the powerquality.Theinverterbaseddesignrespondsquickly to system changes and while under fault or grid disturbance, it maintains full reactive power capability evenatreducedvoltage.
The STATCOM is configured around the Voltage Source Inverter (VSI) since it functions as the controlling entity forconversionofDCpowertofinelycontrolledACoutput. Flexibility and precise voltage and current modulation is another name of VSI by using high speed semiconductor switches such as Insulated Gate Bipolar Transistors (IGBTs) or Gate Turn-Off Thyristors (GTOs). Through PWM and vector control techniques, the VSI is able to perform real-time adjustments of the output voltage amplitude and phase order to complement the dynamic needs of the grid. The STATCOM also includes a DC capacitorconnectedtotheinvertertostorethe necessary energy and provide voltage reference so that the STATCOM can respond rapidly as needed based on conditionsinthegrid.
AdvantagesandlimitationsoftheSTATCOMarecompared with other FACTS devices. The earlier Ways to a Distressful Journey has shuntconnected reactive power device, the SVC, where reacts by thyristorcontrolled reactors and capacitors, however its reactive power output is the square of the voltage and thus less effective at lower grid voltages. On the other hand, the STATCOM has constant current ability regardless of system voltage; this makes it more suitable for the voltage sag. Its main purposes are to control line impedance and power flow, butthelocalvoltageregulationordynamicreactivepower support capacity provided by the Thyristor Controlled Series Capacitor (TCSC), is quite limited. The Unified Power Flow Controller (UPFC) carries a combination of series and shunt compensation capability, complete control on voltage, phase angle and impedance, however, itiscomplexandcostly,andhard to implement ina large scale.Assuch,whileeachdeviceplaysadefinitiverole,the STATCOM’sfastresponse,compactdesignandreliablelow voltage performance make it especially suitable for applications like stabilizing wind integrated grids where rapid and reliable voltage and reactive power control are essential.
5. STATCOM FOR ENHANCING POWER QUALITY IN WIND-INTEGRATED GRIDS
5.1.Voltage
Support and Regulation
TheStaticSynchronousCompensator(STATCOM)isinfact one of the most important buffer for supporting and regulating voltage in wind integrated grids. However, variable speed devices such as wind energy systems are generallycharacterizedbytheintermittentnatureofwind andthecorrespondingrapidfluctuationsinpoweroutput. The frequent fluctuations in the wind power generation will distort the operating point of the wind turbines and the whole power system, causing the voltage instabilities and therefore voltage sags or swells, which all affect the performance of the wind turbines and the whole power system.Toaddressthesechallenges,theSTATCOMinjects or absorbs reactive power at the point of common
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coupling(PCC)inaccordancewiththevoltagelevelatPCC. During periods of high generation, the STATCOM may absorb the excess reactive power to prevent voltage rise or elsewhere inject reactive power to prevent voltage collapsewhengenerationisloworwhengridisdisturbed. With VSI technology in the STATCOM, the STATCOM is able to provide a response that is very fast reducing grid voltage from values that are outside the accepted range andthusincreasingthereliabilityandstabilityofthewind integratedgrid.
5.2.Reactive Power Compensation
The reactive power compensation is one of the most important factors and STATCOMs plays a very important role in this regard, which is specifically important in the wind energy systems. In wind farms, especially in those which employ wind turbines with induction generators such as SCIG or DFIG, a reactive power is consumed for rotor magnetization, and if not compensated will strain the grid. Moreover, wind power has an irregular generationthussuperiorbalancingofreactivepowerload is an added challenge. Reactive power demands of these servers can be dynamically and efficiently compensated through the use of STATCOMs. STATCOMs can provide or absorb reactive power instantaneously by changing the outputvoltageoftheVSItherebytostabilizethesystem.It results in grid operation in a more stable way and loss reduction, as well as voltage control within acceptable area.Moreover,STATCOMsassisttoavertpossiblevoltage collapse under low wind conditions or grid disturbances, supplying compensatory reactive power essential for maintainingpowergridstability.
5.3.Harmonic
Mitigation
Power electronic converters used in modern wind energy systems (e.g., variable speed turbines, other grid connected) can introduce harmonic distortion into the grid. These switching operations in the power electronic components wake up harmonics that can further damage thequalityofpoweranddecreasetheperformanceofany connected grid equipment. Since it is difficult to significantly reduce harmonics, STATCOMs are very effective at mitigating these harmonics. It is shown that the total harmonic distortion (THD) in the power system canbereducedbyusingadvancedcontroltechniquesand filtering strategies in the STATCOM. A STATCOM which is controlled with a VSI controlled system can behave as a harmonic filter, connecting currents, that is those opposing the harmonics being produced by other devices on the network. However, it accomplishes not only harmonic mitigation to enhance power quality at the end user,butalsocompliancewithindustrystandardssuchas IEEE 519 regarding maximum allowable harmonic distortioninthegrid.
5.4.Improvement in Fault Ride-Through (FRT) Capability
Wind turbines with variable speed generator such as PMSGorDFIGhaveproblemskeepingthesystemstableat gridfaultslikefaultintransmissionlineshappeningdueto voltage sag. A problem related to this is the issue of fault ride through (FRT) which is a crucial aspect of feasibility of wind power’s continued grid integration. In a fault, wind turbines are forced to disconnect from the grid to protect themselves from damages and in many cases sufferlossesofgenerationcapacityandjeopardizethegrid stability. Wind energy systems get benefit from improvement in their FRT capability through STATCOM’s support in providing rapid reactive power,duringvoltage sags. In case of grid fault, the STATCOM can provide or absorb reactive power to stabilize the voltage, which meansthewindturbinesremainconnectedtothegridand they can return to the original point within short period after the fault is eliminated. This features an important capabilityforsupportingcontinuouspowersupplyduring transient disturbance and raising the grid's fault resilience, that improves the capability to integrate wind energyintopowersystemsinareliableway
5.5.Enhancement of Grid Code Compliance
Aswindenergypenetrationintothepowergridincreases, the grid codes evolved to impose more requirements on wind farms such as grid stability, power quantities, and powerqualityandgridreliability.However,someofthese codes include stipulations regarding voltage control, reactive power support, fault ride-through, or harmonic limits, which are important to allow renewable energy sources to be added to the grid. These grid code requirements are enabled by STATCOMs in the case of wind farms. The improvement on voltage regulation, fast reactivepowercompensation,harmonicfiltering,andFRT capabilities by STATCOM will help wind energy systems complywiththestringentgridcodes.Takeforexamplethe requirementonmanyoftoday’sgridcodes:Windturbines need to keep connected and provide support in voltage during grid faults, something that STATCOMs are highly suitable for. STATCOMs enhance the performance and stability of wind integrated grids, allowing wind farms to participate in maintaining grid reliability in a regulatory acceptablefashion.
6. CONTROL STRATEGIES FOR STATCOM IN WIND ENERGY SYSTEMS
6.1.Conventional
Control Techniques
The simplicity and reliability of the conventional control strategy for STATCOMs is widely suitable for use in wind energy systems. The most standard methods are amongst the aforementioned Proportional-Integral (PI) and Proportional-Integral-Derivative (PID) controllers. They are used to keep the voltage at the point of common
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coupling (PCC) stable by varying the reactive power injection or absorption by the STATCOM to the grid voltage fluctuation. The combination of proportional and integralactionsinthePIcontrollerprovidesasteadystate errorcorrection,aswellascompensatesforthepersistent voltagedeviation.Similarly,thePIDcontrolleremploysan extra derivative term that also helps the system to respond to voltage or load variations taken place rapidly. Whilethesecontrollersdoanadequatejobinsteadystate voltage regulation and small variations in the system dynamic changes, they may not perform as expected in more demanding or highly dynamic grid conditions, something not uncommon in systems that include wind energy system operations that undergo rapid and unpredictablepowergenerationchanges.
6.2.Advanced Control Techniques
Owing to the fact that wind loaded grids are becoming increasingly complex and dynamically varying, advanced control approaches are needed to improve on the performance of STATCOMs. The vector control and Direct Power Control (DPC) are two well known advanced techniques applied in modern STATCOM systems. Field oriented control (or sometimes referred to as vector control)isextensivelyusedtocontrolcurrentandvoltage of inverter using decoupling of active and reactive power components. As a result, the STATCOM can react quickly and precisely to changes in grid voltage and keep power factorstable.Onthecontrary,inDPC,thevoltagevectorof the inverter directly regulates the active and reactive power in the system, improving dynamic response and reducing harmonics as compared to usual control methods. Another emerging advanced strategy is Model PredictiveControl(MPC)wherethestrategyusesamodel of the system to predict future states and optimizes the control inputs in real time. Since MPC provides better handlingofconstraintsandnonlinearitiesinsystems,itis a perfect tool to handle the complexities of wind energy systems having the features of fast fluctuation of their powergenerationandvariablegridconditions.
6.3.Artificial Intelligence-Based Techniques
The need for more adaptable, flexible, and intelligent controlsystemsinthisaspectisleadingtothemainroleof artificial intelligence (AI) techniques in STATCOM performance optimization for wind energy systems. Wind power generation comes from imprecise and uncertain operationandFuzzyLogiccontrollerswhichmodelhuman reasoning are appropriate for fuzzy power generation of windpower.Fuzzylogiccanprovidesmoothandadaptive control in the fluctuating grid conditions by using a set of rulestoinfersystemstatesandcontrolactions.Inorderto strengthenSTATCOMcontrol,neuralnetworkscanalsobe deployedtolearnfromdataandmakepredictions.Wecan train these networks to look for patterns in the wind power generation and grid behavior and so provide
predictive capabilities which provide foreknowledge enough for the controllers to adjust in advance. Furthermore, the parameters of STATCOMs have been tuned for the best performance under several depressed grid conditions with the help of various optimization algorithms like Particle Swarm Optimization (PSO) and Genetic Algorithms (GA). These algorithms provide a tool that can search a large solution space to find the best controlparametersfortheSTATCOMsystems,reducingits robustnessanditsefficiencyandareespeciallyeffectivein highly dynamic and uncertain renewable energy environments.
6.4.Comparison of Control Strategies
Several performance metrics such as stability, response time,androbustnessareto compareconventionalcontrol techniquemethodsaswellasadvancedAIbasedmethods. The easiest methods to implement and traditional are PI andPIDcontrol,whichareveryeffectiveunderstableand predictable grids. However, their performance suffers in casesofrapidanddynamicvariationasinwindintegrated gridsataslowerresponsetimeandlesssensitivity.Onthe contrary,inthecontextofwindenergysystemswherethe variabilityishigh,duetothepresenceofadvancedcontrol techniquesthatpromisehigherspeedandhigheraccuracy torespondtothedisturbancesofthegridasvectorcontrol and DPC. They offer excellent dynamic performance, minimum harmonic distortion and improved system stability.Basedonthe performanceandpredictedresults, the algorithm of STATCOM is able to adapt the system conditions and provide predictive controls, which can greatly improve the stability and reliability of STATCOM. However, these methods have higher computational complexity and require a large amount of training data. The optimization of the parameters of PSO and GA algorithms further enhances the adaptability and the efficiency of STATCOM systems under different operational conditions to obtain optimal results. Conventionalcontroltechniquesarestillheavilyemployed for simpler systems, but advanced and AI based methods are also becoming indispensable for the purposes of retaining high degrees of performance, stability and robustnessinthemodern,windintegratedgrid.
7. RECENT RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENTS
7.1.Case Studies and Experimental Implementations
Recentworkhasshownthat,insomeapplications,theuse ofSTATCOMasaFACTSdevicecanenhancepenetrationof wind energy intopowergridsbyinterfering withsome of windpower’snegativeimpacts.Akeycasestudydepicted the effectiveness of STATCOM in alleviating the voltage fluctuations due to variable wind speed and hence improved wind penetration levels by up to 30%, when connected in a weak AC grid. An experimental implementation was also designed and tested for a
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crowbar and STATCOM system for Doubly Fed Induction Generators (DFIGs) that inhibited overcurrents and overvoltages and improved the fault ride-through and overall system stability capabilities. An experimental investigation of a solar PV fed modular STATCOM system has also been performed to prove its ability to supply continuous power to the loads without interrupting them to signify the potential of hybrid renewable energy systems.
7.2.Hybrid Systems
One of the solutions to manage the challenges of integrating wind farms consists in integrating STATCOMs along with energy storage systems like batteries and supercapacitors. To enhance the voltage stability in wind farms, a hybrid system with a STATCOM, battery and supercapacitor energy storages was proposed, which utilize battery's high energy density and supercapacitor's high power density to provide rapid and sustained reactive power supporting during transient event, thus improving the grid stability. In addition, an integrated multiportbacktobackpowerconverterforaType4wind turbine generator (WTDG) that includes a battery and supercapacitor storage boost out power output fluctuations and stabilizes the DC link voltage under off grid fault conditions was designed. Mitigation of the intermittency of wind power and enhancement of power gridreliabilitycanbeachievedbythesehybridsystemsin
7.3.Emerging Trends
STATCOM technology converges with smart grid infrastructureandanInternetofThings(IoT)capabilityto provide widespread, widespread smart grid power systems. Smart grids based on IoT enables the real time monitoring and control for quality of power issues and STATCOM’s operation is changed dynamically taking the real time data. This integration additionally helps in quicker instrumentality to additional in conveniently detectingandmitigatingvoltagesags,frequencyinstability and harmonic distortions. Furthermore, the use of STATCOMs in microgrids and isolated systems is also studied to provide voltage stability and power quality in off grid regime. The development of STATCOMs attests to the rising significance of these devices for the modernization of power systems to meet increased renewable energy resource penetration and operational requirementsintoday’sgrids.
8. CHALLENGES AND LIMITATIONS OF STATCOM TECHNOLOGY IN WIND ENERGY SYSTEMS
8.1Technical
Challenges
Integration of Static Synchronous Compensators (STATCOMs) in wind energy systems are faced with a
numberof technical challenges.Thecomplexity ofcontrol algorithmsthatisnecessarytodeal withthedynamicand often unpredictable nature of wind power generation is one (main) of the primary concerns. Such algorithms should have the capacity to cope with wind speed and power output fluctuations quickly to ensure that the grid remains stable. Moreover, the interplay between a STATCOM and other stationary devices including transformers and transmission lines can cause problems like resonance and harmonic distortion. Design and coordination of STATCOMs within the existing grid
8.2.Economic Considerations
From an economic point of view, the installation of STATCOMs entails substantial capital expenditure and therefore may not be feasible in areas where capital is scarce. High costs arise from high power semiconductor devices, advanced control systems and integration into existing infrastructure. Additionally, sizing of STATCOM units for a wind farm or grid segment on the basis of optimalsizingspecificationsthatmeettherequirementsof thespecificwindfarmorgridsegmentissubjectmatterof computation.Misestimationofcompressorsizecanleadto situations where compressor system either underperforms or excessive investment is made for unnecessarycapacity,theeconomicviabilityoftheproject
8.3.Environmental and Reliability Issues
There are environmental matters associated with the materials used in material components of STATCOMs including rare earth elements and other non renewable materials which have ecological impacts related to extraction and disposal. Moreover, the long lasting reliability of STATCOMs is very important to ensure minimum downtime and no such damage to the device and the respective equipment. STATCOM unit operational lifeisnotimmunetothermalstress,componentagingand
8.4.Future Prospects for Improvement
Several advancements are in the horizon to further improve the performance and cost of the STATCOM technology. Modular designs are beginning to take hold, makingforinstallationsthatarescalableandalsoflexible, and easily able to meet bespoke grid requirements. Moreover, by using this approach, the maintenance and upgrades would be easier, and also by monitoring the initialinvestmentcosts.Inaddition,studiesareunderway to reduce STATCOM costs through the discovery of more economical semiconductor materials as well as manufacturing techniques. The effects of incorporating high temperature superconductors and nanomaterials couldyieldmorecompact,efficient,anddurableSTATCOM unitswithimprovedthermalperformance.
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9.CONCLUSION
It has been found that the integration of Static Synchronous Compensators (STATCOMs) into wind energy systems is at the forefront in providing grid stability and power quality. As a result of these factors, STATCOMs have an ability to effectively mitigate voltage fluctuations, enhance fault ride through capability and provide dynamic reactive power compensation which enablesseamlessintegrationofvariablerenewableenergy sourcessuchaswindenergythatwouldotherwiserequire fastswitchingreactivepowercompensationequipmentin the power grid. According to case studies and experimental implementation, STATCOM has been shown to enhance the transient voltage stability of wind farms and make them capable to operate continuously under grid disturbances. In addition, hybrid systems comprised of STATCOMs together with energy storage solutions, like batteries and supercapacitors, has been demonstrated to
Because of their high adaptability, short response times, and ability to provide support to power system components, STATCOM is particularly well suited for addressing problems related to the integration of wind power in the electrical grid. Due to its reactive power injection andabsorptioncapabilitiesin real time, variable reactive power sources such as wind energy can counteract variability and intermittence of wind energy and maintain stability of voltage and minimize power quality issues. Additionally, the application of STATCOMs in the weak or remote grid areas helps improve the performance and reliability of the wind farm and thus ensures that the wind farm contributes effectively to the energymix.
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