May, 8th, 2007

S. Bozhko , G. M. Asher, J. C. Clare, L. Yao, and M. Bazargan

Grid Integration of Large Offshore Wind

Farms Using STATCOM-Controlled HVDC
Power Transmission:
Control and Engineering Issues
Reporter:

Dr S. Bozhko

Grid Integration of Large Offshore Wind Farms

Using STATCOM-Controlled HVDC Power
Transmission: Control and Engineering Issues
Introduction
World electricity demand to be covered for up to 12% by 2020
Offshore: wind conditions are better, planning restrictions are reduced
HVDC vs HVAC
VSC HVDC vs LCC HVDC
SG vs DFIG
DFIG + STATCOM + LCC HVDC: well studied as separate components
Existing studies consider the overall system concept and possible
control paradigms no detailed study or rigorous design procedure

Grid Integration of Large Offshore Wind Farms

Using STATCOM-Controlled HVDC Power
Transmission: Control and Engineering Issues
The power system studied:
Coast
Line

AC filters
Local loads

TWF

Submarine
AC cable
1020km

Rectifier HVDC

TC

Submarine
DC cable

Inverter HVDC

TI

80150km

TS
STATCOM

CS

Onshore AC grid

Collection Bus

Technological
Platform (island)

Total wind farm power: 1GW (set of DFIG-based WTG 3.3MVA each)
Collection Bus Voltage: 33kV; Offshore Bus Voltage: 132kV;
Onshore Grid: 400kV @ SCR=2,5;

HVDC Link: 1GW (2kA@500kV)

Grid Integration of Large Offshore Wind Farms

Using STATCOM-Controlled HVDC Power
Transmission: Control and Engineering Issues

Control system should provide:

optimal tracking of collected wind power and its transfer
into the HVDC link
control of voltage and frequency of the offshore grid

Main steps of our investigation include :

Detailed mathematical study of the system
The controlled plant model appropriate for rigorous control
design and understanding of the power system interactions
Engineering studies of the designed control system

Grid Integration of Large Offshore Wind Farms

Using STATCOM-Controlled HVDC Power
Transmission: Control and Engineering Issues

System model development for control design:

aggregation of multiple WTG into a single one with similar
DFIG control strategy
aggregated DFIG as a controlled current source
harmonic filters are represented by their low-frequency
capacitive properties
no power losses in the STATCOM and HVDC rectifier
HVDC inverter is in voltage-control mode and can be
replaced by an equivalent DC voltage source

Grid Integration of Large Offshore Wind Farms

Using STATCOM-Controlled HVDC Power
Transmission: Control and Engineering Issues
Control Approach
Simplified diagram of the studied system:

IG
VS
ES

TS

IS

VG

IC

TC

CS

L0
VC

R0
E0

V0

_
Cf
V*S ABC

STATCOM

AOR ()

AC F

HVDC

Grid Integration of Large Offshore Wind Farms

Using STATCOM-Controlled HVDC Power
Transmission: Control and Engineering Issues
Control Approach
Reduced plant of control

Proposed control structure

x2

dV
Cf Gd I*Sd I Cd I Gd
dt
Cf
CS

dVGq
dt
dES20
dt

I*Sq

I Cq I Gq Cf VGd

E*S DC
PI

V*Gd

I*Sd
PI

V*Gq

K R I*0 K V I Gd

PI

ES DC

I*0

I*Sq

Controlled
Plant

VGd
VGq

Grid Integration of Large Offshore Wind Farms

Using STATCOM-Controlled HVDC Power
Transmission: Control and Engineering Issues
Detailed block-diagram of the proposed control structure
controllers

VGd

controlled plant

PI

Isd*

PI

Isq

x2

V*Sd

PI

VGq*
(= 0)

V*S
ej

V*Sq

PI

CS

ES

V*S

2/3

V*S ABC
e*

LS
Cf
Cf

(E S20 )*
I0*

PI

RS

250

LS

ISd
ISq

e-j

VGd
VGq

e-j VG 3/2

ICd
ICq

IC
IC

IS
IS

3/2

VG

e-j

LS

IS

IG

VG
Cf

IC

3/2

AOR ()

PI

I0

V0

I0

3VGd0/CS

IGd
IGq

IG
e

-j

IG

3/2

L0
R0

E0

Grid Integration of Large Offshore Wind Farms

Using STATCOM-Controlled HVDC Power
Transmission: Control and Engineering Issues
Control Approach
PSCAD/EMTDC simulations of the proposed control system
Detailed PSCAD/EMTDC simulation model is used
Local Offshore
Bus

Wind Farm 1000MVA

1kV

TW

33kV

TG

132kV

10kV

TS

AC Filters

L0/2 R0/2

TC1

StatCom
CS

Main Onshore
Grid Connection
SCR=2.5

TC2

R0/2 L0/2
C0

TI1

V0

E0

HVDC
Rectifier

TI2

400kV

HVDC
Inverter

Grid Integration of Large Offshore Wind Farms

Using STATCOM-Controlled HVDC Power
Transmission: Control and Engineering Issues
Control Approach
Simulation results:
Confirm high
performance in both
normal conditions and
during a severe fault
Raise engineering
concerns regarding
STATCOM rating (1.3pu in
order to handle the fault)
Also raise concerns
regarding STATCOM
capacitor overvoltage
(1.92pu)
Some measures must
be undertaken to improve
the system practicality

Wind Power Active (1) and Reactive (2) Powers, pu

1
0.5

0.5

Wind Power Active (1) and Reactive (2) Powers, pu

STATCOM Active (1) and Reactive (2) Powers, pu

0.2

STATCOM Active (1) and Reactive (2) Powers, pu

1

-0.2

-0.4

-1
HVDC DC-Link Current, kA

HVDC DC-Link Current, kA

Offshore Grid Voltage, kV

140
120
100
Offshore Grid Frequency, Hz

50.2

Offshore Grid Voltage, kV

150
140
130
120
110
100

Offshore Grid Frequency, Hz

50.2
50.1

50

50
49.9

49.8
STATCOM DC-Link Voltage, kV

38

STATCOM DC-Link Voltage, kV

70
60

36

50

34

40

32
Rectifier Firing Angle, deg

60
40

50

20
0

Rectifier Firing Angle, deg

100

0.5

1.5

2.5

3.5
Time, s

0.1

0.2

0.3

0.4

0.5

0.6

0.7

0.8

0.9

1
1.1
Time, s

10

Grid Integration of Large Offshore Wind Farms

Using STATCOM-Controlled HVDC Power
Transmission: Control and Engineering Issues
STATCOM DC-link capacitor sizing
Energy stored in this capacitor:

2
CSE Sdc
e( t ) e 0 (PG PC Pl )dt
2
t
0

PG0

tt

PL0

Generators power

tt
Losses

PC0
t t

Overvoltage factor:

k V E Sdc max / ESdc 0

Power to HVDC link

Power balancing equation:

2
CSESdc
0

( k 2V 1) PG 0 d PG 0 G (1 e

t d
G

) PL 0 t PC0 C (1 e

t
C

11

Grid Integration of Large Offshore Wind Farms

Using STATCOM-Controlled HVDC Power
Transmission: Control and Engineering Issues

Can be used to derive a criterion

for the STATCOM capacitor
sizing in order to guarantee that
the capacitor overvoltage during
a fault will not exceed the
acceptable level:

CS min, F

STATCOM DC-link capacitor sizing

0.10

0.08

0.06

n=3
n=2

0.04

n=1
0.02

0.005

0.01

0.015

0.02

Communication delay d, s

CS MIN = F(tf, d, G, C, kV, PG0, PC0, PL0)

12

Grid Integration of Large Offshore Wind Farms

Using STATCOM-Controlled HVDC Power
Transmission: Control and Engineering Issues
Power system operation during a fault
Wind Farm

TW

33kV

TG

Local Offshore
Grid 132kV
Q*wf

PI

P*wf

PI

I*rd

I*fd
I*rq

I*fq

HVDC
Rectifier

L0/2 R0/2

V0

Efdc=E*fdc

TC1

R0/2 L0/2
C0

Q =0
*
f

TC2

I*rq=0

HVDC
Inverter
E0

Main Onshore
Grid Connection
TI1
SCR=2.5
TI2

400kV

STATCOM
10kV

CS

TS
AC Filters

PI

I0*

ES2 *

Fault
Detected

0 pupu
0.25

13

Grid Integration of Large Offshore Wind Farms

Using STATCOM-Controlled HVDC Power
Transmission: Control and Engineering Issues
Influence of communication delay d on STATCOM rating
If assume ideal performance of HVDC
current control loop during a fault:
then the behavior of AOA can be found as:

I 0 ( t ) (I 0ini I 0fin )e t I 0fin

(t )

and HVDC rectifier AC-side currents then can be derived as follows:

I Cd

2
2 I 02ini ( R0 L0 ) 2 t
kI 0 cos
e
3
3
VGd

I Cq

2 2 t
k r2 kT2VGd
e
2
2 I 02ini ( R0 L0 ) 2 t
kI 0 sin
e
1
3
3
VGd
I 02ini ( R0 L0 ) 2

The dynamics of HVDC rectifier AC currents is twice as faster than the

dynamics of HVDC DC-link current loop!

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Grid Integration of Large Offshore Wind Farms

Using STATCOM-Controlled HVDC Power
Transmission: Control and Engineering Issues
STATCOM rating issue (continued)
STATCOM rating can be reduced substantially only if no communication delay or if
it is very small compare to HVDC DC-link current control time constant
If communication delay exceeds some value, the STATCOM apparent power demand
during faults can reach the value of wind farm delivered apparent power

STATCOM S, P and Q vs communication delay

1.0

2.65ms 2.65ms

Sst

1.0

Pst

0.8

0.4

0.2kA

0.6

IC0
IS0

0.2kA

0.4
7.95ms

Qst

0.2
0

0.6kA

IC0q

2.65ms
2

Qst

0.2

IC0d

Sst
Pst

0.8

7.95ms
7.95ms

0.6

0.6kA

0.6kA

VG

IG0

0.2kA
7

10
-3

x 10

10
-3

x 10

15

Grid Integration of Large Offshore Wind Farms

Using STATCOM-Controlled HVDC Power
Transmission: Control and Engineering Issues
Power system operation during a fault
Wind Farm

TW

33kV

TG

Local Offshore
Grid 132kV
Q*wf

PI

P*wf

PI

I*rd

I*fd
I*rq

I*fq

HVDC
Rectifier

L0/2 R0/2

V0

Efdc=E*fdc

TC1

I*rq=0

TC2

3/2

R0/2 L0/2
C0

Q =0
*
f

ICFq
ICFd

HVDC
Inverter
E0

Main Onshore
Grid Connection
TI1
SCR=2.5
TI2

400kV

STATCOM
10kV

CS

TS
AC Filters

PI

I0*

ES2 *

Fault
Detected

0.25pu

16

Grid Integration of Large Offshore Wind Farms

Using STATCOM-Controlled HVDC Power
Transmission: Control and Engineering Issues
Reduction of the STATCOM rating can be achieved by:
Suppression of STATCOM DC-link voltage control: fault detection scheme can set
the HVDC current demand I0* to some value I0fin in order to absorb the AC filters
reactive power by HVDC link, not by STATCOM;
Reduction of wind farm output power via fast DFIG current control loops;
Communication delay d due to distant location if WTGs: should be lowered
Reactive power capabilities of DFIGs front-end converters: the reactive current
reference as a function of reactive current component at HVDC input;
Active power support through rotor q-current controls: the q-current reference
as a function of active current component at HVDC/filters input;
Improvement of HVDC DC-link current control: need adaptation to fault conditions;
Lowering the bandwidth of offshore grid voltage and frequency controls;
Hard Limits on STATCOM currents.

17

Grid Integration of Large Offshore Wind Farms

Using STATCOM-Controlled HVDC Power
Transmission: Control and Engineering Issues
Simulation of fault in the enhanced system
DFIG shaft speed, pu

Rectifier firing angle, deg

150

1.5

100

1.4

50

1.3

0
Wind farm active (1) and reactive (2) pow ers, pu

HVDC DC-link current, kA

3

1
0.5
0

1
0

Off shore grid voltage, kV

160
140

STATCOM DC-link voltage, kV

45

120

STATCOM apparent power

during fault development

40

100
80

35

60
Off shore grid frequency, Hz

49
0

0.1

0.2

0.3

0.4

0.5

0.6

0.7

0.8

Time, s

-1

Td=10ms

0.4

50

Td=6ms

0.6

STATCOM active (1) and reactive (2) pow ers, pu

51

Fault

0.8

Td=6ms

2
0

0.1

0.2

Td=4ms

0.2

Td=2ms

0.3

0.4

0.5

0.6

0.7

0.8

Time, s

0.998

1.002

1.004

1.006

1.008

1.01

1.012

STATCOM active and reactive power demand is significantly lowered

STATCOM DC-link overvoltage is reduced from 94% to 25%

18

Time,s

Grid Integration of Large Offshore Wind Farms

Using STATCOM-Controlled HVDC Power
Transmission: Control and Engineering Issues
Conclusions
A large offshore wind farm with a LCC HVDC connection to the main onshore
grid is considered
The proposed control system is proven to provide high performance control of
the offshore grid and wind power transfer to onshore
Engineering issues related to the STATCOM sizing is considered
Recommendations for control system enhancement are given
The proposed system can be a satisfactory solution for integrating large
offshore DFIG-based wind farms into existing AC networks

Acknowledgement
Authors would like to express their appreciation for the partial funding support from the New and
Renewable Energy Programme of the DTI, UK under the contract K/KL/00340/00/00.

THANK YOU!
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