CENTRE FOR WIND ENERGY TECHNOLOGY

CHENNAI

INDIAN WIND GRID CODE

Rajesh Katyal
Unit Chief, R&D
Centre for Wind Energy Technology

CENTRE FOR WIND ENERGY TECHNOLOGY

OVERVIEW

CENTRE FOR WIND ENERGY TECHNOLOGY

NEED FOR INDIAN WIND GRID CODE

Wind energy constitutes 6% of the installed capacity

in the power scenario in India.

Wind turbines are installed in windy sites, which may

not have strong grids.

Local impacts like voltage fluctuations, flicker,

reactive power absorption when the penetration is
low.
With high penetration, overall power system gets
affected.
Grid code envisages to establish a standard operating
practice for wind turbines to minimise these impacts
and reap maximum benefits.

CENTRE FOR WIND ENERGY TECHNOLOGY

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM IN WIND TURBINES

CENTRE FOR WIND ENERGY TECHNOLOGY

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM IN WIND TURBINES

Fixed speed wind turbine

CENTRE FOR WIND ENERGY TECHNOLOGY

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM IN WIND TURBINES

Variable speed wind turbine with full-scale frequency
converter

CENTRE FOR WIND ENERGY TECHNOLOGY

GRID BEHAVIOUR OF WIND TURBINES

Majority of wind turbines use induction generators, unlike

the conventional generators which are synchronous
Induction generators need VAR support, for which capacitor
banks are provided.
Inadequate reactive power support will lead to drawal from
grid, and affect the voltage profile at the point of
interconnection.
Wind turbines using synchronous generators do not need
reactive power support, but may have to deal with other
issues like harmonics.
Grid code sets a standard operating practice for different
type of generators.

CENTRE FOR WIND ENERGY TECHNOLOGY

GRID BEHAVIOUR OF WIND TURBINES

Wind turbines disconnect from the grid when

voltage at the point of connection drops
Wind turbines can remain connected to the grid
during a fault, only if adequate reactive power
support is provided.
Wind is variable in nature, hence wind generation
cannot be scheduled.

CENTRE FOR WIND ENERGY TECHNOLOGY

WORLD SCENARIO

Grid Codes have been enforced for countries like

USA, Germany, Spain, Denmark, China, Nordic
Countries, Canada and Ireland, which have
substantial wind generation.
The grid codes for wind, in general deal with the
following technical requirements:

Active power control

Frequency
Voltage and reactive power issues
Fault ride through capability
Protection
Power quality issues like flicker, harmonics etc.

CENTRE FOR WIND ENERGY TECHNOLOGY

GRID CODE REQUIREMENTS

CENTRE FOR WIND ENERGY TECHNOLOGY

GRID CODE REQUIREMENTS

Variation of active power output of wind farms with
respect to frequency (as proposed in Grid Code)

CENTRE FOR WIND ENERGY TECHNOLOGY

GRID CODE REQUIREMENTS

FREQUENCY REQUIREMENTS:

System frequency is a major indicator of the power balance

in the system.

A decrease in generation vis-a-vis the demand causes the

frequency to drop below the nominal frequency and vice
versa.

This imbalance can be mitigated by primary control and

secondary control of conventional synchronous generators.

High penetration of wind turbines can have a significant

impact on the frequency of the grid.

Power output of the wind turbine can be regulated during

high frequency.

CENTRE FOR WIND ENERGY TECHNOLOGY

GRID CODE REQUIREMENTS

VOLTAGE AND REACTIVE POWER ISSUES:

Wind turbines with induction generators need

reactive power support.

Capacitor banks are the preferred method of

reactive power compensation in wind farms.

Reactive power drawl from the system can cause

increased losses, overheating and de- rating of
the lines.

Doubly fed induction generators and synchronous

generator based wind turbines do not have any
constraints with respect to reactive power.

CENTRE FOR WIND ENERGY TECHNOLOGY

GRID CODE REQUIREMENTS

REACTIVE POWER ISSUES:
The wind farm should maintain a power factor of 0.95 lagging to 0.95 leading

Voltage Vs Power factor characteristics of wind farms connected above 66 kV

CENTRE FOR WIND ENERGY TECHNOLOGY

GRID CODE REQUIREMENTS

FAULT / LOW VOLTAGE RIDE THROUGH:

Ability of the wind turbine to remain connected to the grid without tripping
from the grid for a specified period of time during a voltage drop at the point
of connection.

period of fault ride through depends on

magnitude of voltage drop at the Point of Common Coupling (PCC)
during the fault
time taken by the grid system to recover to the normal state.

During system disturbances, if generators of large generating capacity

connected to the grid continue their operation, this aids the system in
returning to normal operation.

During a fault that causes a voltage drop at the wind turbine terminals, the
reactive power demand of induction generators increases. Unless a reactive
power support is available at the generator terminals, the reactive power will
be drawn from the grid and further instability.

CENTRE FOR WIND ENERGY TECHNOLOGY

GRID CODE REQUIREMENTS
FAULT / LOW VOLTAGE RIDE THROUGH (AS PER IWGC):
Table 3: Fault clearing time and voltage limits

Fault
clearin
g time,
T(ms)
100

Vpf
(kV)

Vf
(kV)

360

60.0

220

160

200

33.0

132

160

120

19.8

110

160

96.25

16.5

66

300

60

9.9

Nominal
system
voltage
(kV)
400

Vf : 15% of nominal system voltage

Vpf : Minimum Voltage for normal operation of the wind turbine

CENTRE FOR WIND ENERGY TECHNOLOGY

GRID CODE REQUIREMENTS

WIND FARM PROTECTION:

The relay protection system of the wind turbine should take in to account:
Normal operation of the system and support to network
during
and after the fault.
Secure wind farms from damage originating from faults in the
network.

Minimum requirement with respect to wind farm protection (IWGC):

under/over voltage protection
under/over frequency protection
over current and earth fault protection
load unbalance (negative sequence) protection
differential protection for the grid connecting transformer
capacitor bank protection
tele-protection channels (for use with distance protection) between the
grid connection point circuit breaker and user connection point circuit
breaker.

CENTRE FOR WIND ENERGY TECHNOLOGY

GRID CODE REQUIREMENTS

POWER QUALITY ISSUES:
Power Quality

Ability

of a power system to operate loads, without damaging or

disturbing them, a property mainly concerned with voltage quality at points
of common coupling & Ability of the loads to operate without disturbing or
reducing the efficiency of the power system, a property mainly, but not
exclusively, concerned with the quality of current waveform

Assessment of power quality of wind farms IEC 61400-21: Wind Turbine

Generator Systems, Part 21: Measurement and Assessment of Power

Quality Characteristics of Grid Connected Wind Turbines

CENTRE FOR WIND ENERGY TECHNOLOGY

GRID CODE REQUIREMENTS

FLICKER:

Visual fluctuations in the light intensity

as a result of voltage fluctuations
(1-10Hz)

Caused during
continuous operation: by tower
shadow of wind turbine (1 2 Hz)
Switching operation : by power
fluctuations (both active and
reactive power)

Not a main concern for variable speed

turbines.

IWGC requirement :

IEC 61000-3-7 : for voltage flicker

limits.
IEC 61000-4-15 :Guidelines on
measurement of flicker.

CENTRE FOR WIND ENERGY TECHNOLOGY

GRID CODE REQUIREMENTS

HARMONICS:

Generated by variable speed turbines with power

converters, like doubly fed generator and full variable
speed wind turbine.

IEC 61400-21 recommends measurement of harmonic

emissions only for variable speed turbines.

CENTRE FOR WIND ENERGY TECHNOLOGY

GRID CODE REQUIREMENTS

HARMONICS:
Total harmonic distortion of
voltage,

where Vn: nth harmonic of voltage

V1: fundamental frequency
(50 Hz) voltage

Voltage harmonic limits

System
Voltage
(kV)

Total
Harmonic
Distortion
(%)

Individual
Harmonic
of any
Particular
frequency
(%)

765

1.5

1.0

400

2.0

1.5

220

2.5

2.0

132

3.0

2.0

CENTRE FOR WIND ENERGY TECHNOLOGY

GRID CODE REQUIREMENTS

HARMONICS:

Harmonic content of the supply

current

Current harmonic limits (IWGC)

Voltage <69 kV
level
ITHD

Where In: nth harmonic of current

I1: fundamental frequency
(50 Hz) current

5%

>69 kV

2.5%

CENTRE FOR WIND ENERGY TECHNOLOGY

GRID CODE REQUIREMENTS

VOLTAGE UNBALANCE:

Ratio
of
the
deviation
Voltage unbalance
between the highest and
limits for wind farms
lowest line voltage to the
average of the three line Voltage level Unbalance
(kV)
(%)
voltages.
1.5
400
Can cause negative sequence
current to flow in the rotor of
220
2
the generator and affect its
performance
3
<220
same voltage requirements
for
unbalance
as
for
conventional generators.

CENTRE FOR WIND ENERGY TECHNOLOGY

REQUIREMENTS OF IWGC

Planning Code for transmission systems

evacuating wind power

Connection code for wind farms

Operating code for wind farms

CENTRE FOR WIND ENERGY TECHNOLOGY

PLANNING CODE FOR TRANSMISSION SYSTEMS

EVACUATING WIND POWER

Wind power evacuation should be a part of

the overall grid planning.

Planning criterion for wind:

System peak load with high wind generation

System light load with high wind generation
Local light load with high wind generation

CENTRE FOR WIND ENERGY TECHNOLOGY

PLANNING CODE FOR TRANSMISSION

SYSTEMS EVACUATING WIND POWER

N-1 contingency criteria :Wind farms connected above 220

kV or of capacity 100 MW and above at 220 kV levels.
The Wind power addition plan for every five years issued by
the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy to be considered
for planning of transmission lines.

CENTRE FOR WIND ENERGY TECHNOLOGY

CONNECTION CODE FOR WIND FARMS

Minimum technical standards to be adopted for wind turbines

Voltage withstand limits for wind farms
Voltage (kV)
Nominal

% Limit of variation

Maximum

Minimum

400

+5% to -10%

420

360

220

+11% to -9%

245

200

132

+10% to -9%

145

120

110

+10% to -12.5%

121

96.25

66

+10% to -9%

72.5

60

33

+5% to -10%

34.65

29.7

CENTRE FOR WIND ENERGY TECHNOLOGY

CONNECTION CODE FOR WIND FARMS

Frequency tolerance range

47.5 51.5 Hz.
Beyond this: manufacturer specific.
Wind farms shall be able to withstand
change in frequency up to 0.5 Hz/sec.

CENTRE FOR WIND ENERGY TECHNOLOGY

CONNECTION CODE FOR WIND FARMS

Voltage unbalance

Reactive power capability

Active power control

Low voltage ride through

Protection schemes for wind farm protection

CENTRE FOR WIND ENERGY TECHNOLOGY

OPERATING CODE FOR WIND FARMS

For safe and reliable operation of grid

Operating voltage limits for wind farms

Voltage (kV)
Nominal

% Limit of variation

Maximum

Minimum

400

+5% to -10%

420

360

220

+11% to -9%

245

200

132

+10% to -9%

145

120

110

+10% to -12.5%

121

96.25

66

+10% to -9%

72.5

60

33

+5% to -10%

34.65

29.7

CENTRE FOR WIND ENERGY TECHNOLOGY

OPERATING CODE FOR WIND FARMS

Frequency of operation for wind farms

Shall not be started above 51.5 Hz.

CENTRE FOR WIND ENERGY TECHNOLOGY

OPERATING CODE FOR WIND FARMS

Reactive power and voltage control

VAR drawl from the grid at voltages below 97 % of

nominal will be penalized.
VAR injection into the grid at voltages below 97 % of
nominal will be given incentive.
VAR drawl from the grid at voltages above 103 % of
nominal will be given incentive.
VAR injection into the grid at voltages above 103 % of
nominal will be penalized

CENTRE FOR WIND ENERGY TECHNOLOGY

OPERATING CODE FOR WIND FARMS

Ramp rate limits

Aims at regulating the active power generated from the WTG and
minimizing the sudden variations in generated power due to
variations in the wind.

Ramp rate limits for wind farms

Wind Farm installed
capacity (MW)

10 min Maximum
Ramp (MW)

50-150

Installed
Capacity/1.5

>150

100

1 min Maximum
Ramp (MW)
Installed
Capacity/5
30

CENTRE FOR WIND ENERGY TECHNOLOGY

OPERATING CODE FOR WIND FARMS

Flicker

IEC 61000-3-7 : for voltage flicker limits.

IEC 61000-4-15 :Guidelines on measurement of flicker.

Harmonics

Voltage harmonic limits : as per Indian Electricity Grid

Code
Current harmonic limits: IEEE STD-519-1992

CENTRE FOR WIND ENERGY TECHNOLOGY

OPERATING CODE FOR WIND FARMS

Operation during transmission congestion

As per instructions of system operator.

Wind shall be considered like overflowing reservoir in Merit Order
Dispatch

Demand estimation
Wind

Energy Forecasting-

Day

ahead forecast: for assessing the probable wind

energy that can be scheduled for the next day.
Hourly forecast :To minimize the forecasting error that
can occur in the day ahead forecasting.

CENTRE FOR WIND ENERGY TECHNOLOGY

SUMMARY

Grid code brings wind at par with conventional

generators.
Technical requirements have been appropriately
recommended for small wind farms and large wind
farms.
Conditions like fault ride through capability and
forecasting to be implemented taking into account
the penetration levels of wind energy, cost of
implementation, tariff structure and usefulness in
terms of grid management strategies.