Integration of PMSG-based wind power plant to power systems using a smart energy storage system.

Rising public awareness for environmental protection and continuously increasing energy consumption, coupled with the shortage of power generation and steady progress in power deregulation and utility restructuring, have created increased interest in renewable energy sources (RESs). Hydroelectric, photovoltaic (PV), and wind have got the most interest. Renewable energies have been growing with a high rate comparable to the fossil energies growing rate such as coal. Advances in solar and wind technology combined with escalating environmental regulations lead a high demand of distributed generation (DG) resources around the globe. A typical power system in countries such as United States has large-scale central power stations located in remote areas, which are connected to transmission system. Recent tendency is, however, toward developing small-scale distributed generating units; thus power generating units will be located near the consumers and large generating units will be replaced by a number of smaller generating units. The prospect of reduced cost, increased reliability, increased energy efficiency, improved power quality, and energy independence are the main motivation for customers to increase their interests to what is called “smart grid”. Renewable energy sources including photovoltaic and wind turbines and fuel cells are categorized as main energy sources of DG in future smart grids with promising sustainability. Among them, wind energy has appeared as the fastest growing energy all over the world. However, the power generated by wind turbine systems is highly dependent on weather conditions. Also it is not easy to store the wind power generation to use in future. To mitigate these issues, wind power sources need to be augmented with some other generation/storage system. Hence the perfect control is essential to keep the DG system operating properly within the power grids. Usually the DG systems are integrated using power electronics interface to enhance the system security. Consequently it is important to design the hybrid energy systems and their control strategies in a way to stabilize the system under any disruptions from the load side, as well as from the renewable energy source.