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ScienceDirect
Energy Procedia 50 (2014) 882 – 892

The International Conference on Technologies and Materials for Renewable Energy, Environment
and Sustainability, TMREES14

STATCOM and Capacitor Banks in a fixed-speed wind farm

M.Laouera* A.Mekkaouia, , M.Younesb
a
LMMC université docteur Moulay Tahar, BP 138 Route de Mascara, Saida 20000, Algérie
b
Faculty of technologie, University Djilali Liabes Sidi Bel Abbes, Algeria

Abstract

Wind Farms are the viable solution for delivering clean energy in near future. There are many difficulties in ensuring higher
quality power into the grid, as demanded by the more and more stringent grid codes. The solution of these problems could be
solved by Flexible Alternate Current Transmission Systems (FACTS) devices in the system and particularly the Statatic
synchronous condenser (STATCOM). Which uses the principle reactive power (injection or absorption).
One of the main causes of disconnection of wind network is the variation of voltage (drop voltage or over voltage) at the bus bar
connection. The use of STATCOM, allows regulating the voltage and maintaining the grid connected wind even under certain
severe conditions of disturbance.
In this paper, we propose a study of the importance use of STATCOM when it installed in a wind farm and we will try to see the
effect of injecting reactive power in order to maintain the voltage at the nominal value. This opportunity offers the possibility of
connecting the wind farm to the grid. The choice of this study is justified by simulation in MATLAB.
© 2014 Elsevier Ltd. This is an open access article under the CC BY-NC-ND license
© 2014 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.
(http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/3.0/).
Selection and peer-review under responsibility of the Euro-Mediterranean Institute for Sustainable Development (EUMISD).
Selection and peer-review under responsibility of the Euro-Mediterranean Institute for Sustainable Development (EUMISD)
Keywords: wind power, reactive compensation, simulation, STATCOM, capacitor banks

* Corresponding author. Tel.: +213.48.47.39.79; fax: +213.48.47.39.79.

E-mail address:laouer@yahoo.fr

1876-6102 © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. This is an open access article under the CC BY-NC-ND license
(http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/3.0/).
Selection and peer-review under responsibility of the Euro-Mediterranean Institute for Sustainable Development (EUMISD)
doi:10.1016/j.egypro.2014.06.107
 M. Laouer et al. / Energy Procedia 50 (2014) 882 – 892 883

1. Introduction

These last years, the renewable energy production, particularly those produced by the wind turbines, take a more
and more important part in the electric network.

Disconnections, due to tripping of protective equipment of the wind farms, are not tolerated. To maintain the
wind farm connected to grid under some conditions of disturbances some constructors are obliged to create new
systems in order to keep the wind farm on the electric network.

Because the necessary reactive energy to magnetize the machine cannot be produced by a converter, one makes
resort to benches of capacitors connected to the common point of connection (PCC) with the electric network. On
the other hand, the reactive energy provided by these capacitors is fixed and cannot contribute to the regulation of
voltage at the point of connection. One of the main reasons of the disconnection of the wind farm is the variation of
voltage (drop voltage or over voltage) at the PCC [3].

The energy industry is facing a modern awareness of the impact of conventional energy production on the
environment. Several questions arise such as limiting reservations to fossil fuel, climate change due to CO2
emissions, which attract the attention of alternative technologies to produce electricity in a more sustainable manner
[7].

Following the growing demand for wind energy, the turbine technologies have become increasingly efficient
resulted in a marked reduction of their equipment costs. The wind industry is integrated into the renewable energy
market and gives its price per kWh that is comparable to the prices of conventional energy generation. Unlike gas,
coal and oil resources in the future will become scarce.

Wind energy has become abundant and several improvements were made to the aerodynamics and power
electronic devices. In the future, the production of electricity from wind will inevitably become cheaper than any
other energy source, currently having a high market share [8].

The wind turbines become cheaper with increased system size since the power delivered depends on the square of
the rotor diameter. In the last 20 years the rotor diameter has increased by a factor of 10. Today state-of-the-art wind
turbines, with 126 m for rotor diameter, produce 5 to 6 MW of power (from REPower and Enercon manufacturers
[9]).

Nomenclature

FACTS Flexible Alternate Current Transmission Systems

SVG Synchronous Voltage Generator
STATCOM Statatic synchronous condenser
VSI voltage source inverter
ACS alternative current system
SVC. Static Var Compensator

2. Principal operation of a wind turbine

The main element of wind energy is the wind generator. This latter uses the kinetic energy of the wind to rotate
the shaft of the rotor in order to convert mechanical energy and then itself be converted into electrical energy. The
mechanical coupling may be direct if the generator and the turbine have the same velocities, or via a multiplier
mechanical otherwise.
There are several types of use of the electrical energy produced by wind farm. It can be stored in batteries,
884 M. Laouer et al. / Energy Procedia 50 (2014) 882 – 892

distributed through a grid or finally can supply some isolated loads. [5]

The conversion is done in two steps:*

• At the turbine (rotor), which extracts a part of the available wind energy and convert into mechanical energy
using aerodynamic profiles. The air flow around the profile creates a thrust that drives the rotor of generator.

• At the generator, which receives and converts mechanical energy into electrical energy, will be transmitted to
the power grid. [1].

2.1. Modelling of wind power plants with fixed speed wind generator

For this type of wind generators that operates at a fixed speed, the wind speed does not have much effect on the
speed of the rotor of the generator because it is determined by the mains frequency or by the speed increasing ratio
or the type of generator. [10]

To increase power production, some wind generators were equipped with two types of coils: one for low wind
speeds (typically 8- pole) and one for medium and high wind speeds (usually 4-6 poles). [12].

Fixed shaft
Wind

Gearbox

Constant rotor Grid

speed Asynchronous
machine

Fig.1.Diagram of a fixed speed wind generator

We have two models of wind turbines in The Eurostag standard model library [11]:

1. Model of wind turbine coupled with an asynchronous generator. The turbine is connected to a squirrel-cage
asynchronous machine.

2. Model of wind turbine with pitch control coupled with an asynchronous generator which the turbine is
connected to a squirrel cage asynchronous machine whose speed is controlled with pitch control.

3. Static synchronous compensator

The first STATCOM has been designed in 1990. This is a voltage converter based on GTO or IGBT powered by
batteries of capacitors. The assembly is connected in parallel to the network through a coupling transformer [4]-
[13]-[14]

2 2
Vk V V V  Vk Vsh
Qsh  k sh cos(Tk Tsh ) k (1)
X sh Xsh X sh

x if Vk Vsh then Qsh becomes positive and the STATCOM absorbs reactive power.
 M. Laouer et al. / Energy Procedia 50 (2014) 882 – 892 885

x if Vk % Vsh then Qsh becomes negative and the STATCOM supplies reactive power.

STATCOM is a static synchronous generator whose capacitive or inductive output current can be controlled
independent of the AC system voltage [15].

It is a solid state switching converter capable to generate or absorb real and reactive power at its output terminals,
when it is fed from an energy source or an energy storage device of appropriate rating.

There is a (VSI) that produces a set of three phase ac output voltages, each of which is in phase with, and coupled
to the corresponding ac system voltage via a relatively small reactance. The VSI is driven by a dc storage capacitor.
By regulating the magnitude of the output voltage produced, the reactive power exchange between STATCOM and
the ac system can be controlled.

The STATCOM is a power electronic device based on SVG that generates a three-phase voltage from a dc
capacitor in synchronism with the transmission line voltage and is connected to it by a coupling transformer as
shown in Fig. 2.
E E

I
Q
Xt
I
Vs

Vs

IDC
VDC

Fig.2. Structure of Static synchronous compensator (STATCOM)

By controlling the magnitude of the STATCOM voltage, Vs, the reactive power exchange between the
STATCOM and the transmission line and hence the amount of shunt compensation can be controlled. From Fig.3
STATCOM exhibits constant current characteristics when the voltage is low/high under/over the limit.

XL

Vref

Vdcmin

I ( Q<0 ) Imin Imax I ( Q>0 )

Capacitive : Inductive
Fig.3. Terminal characteristic of STATCOM.

The following mode of operation of STATCOM given as:

x Over excited mode of operation ( Vbus ” V0):

That is, if the amplitude of the output voltage is increased above that of the ACS voltage, then the current
886 M. Laouer et al. / Energy Procedia 50 (2014) 882 – 892

flows through the reactance from the STATCOM to the ACS and the STATCOM generates reactive
(capacitive) power for the ACS.

x Under excited mode of operation ( V0 ” Vbus):

On the other hand, if the amplitude of the output voltage is decreased below that of the ACS, then the
reactive current flows from the ACS to STATCOM, and the STATCOM absorbs the reactive (inductive)
power.

x Normal (floating) excited mode of operation (Vo = Vbus ): If the output voltage is equal to the ACS voltage,
the reactive power exchange is zero. In STATCOM, the resonance phenomenon has been removed. So
STATCOM is having more superior performance as compare to SVC. [16].

The STATCOM provides the same control that SVC but with more strength. It is capable to supply reactive
power even if the voltage at the busbar is very low. According to its characteristics, we find that the maximum
current of the STATCOM is independent of the node voltage. For an ideal STATCOM, the active losses are
negligible and the equation (1) of the reactive power, describes the flow of the latter with the electrical network.

4. Study of a wind farm without compensation

The best way to present the importance of the STATCOM is to consider all possible scenarios that could arise. At
the first, we will omit the capacitor banks used for reactive power compensation of wind turbines. For this, we use a
four wind turbines delivering 1.5 MW for each. The wind farm is used as presented by Figure 2. It is connected to
electrical network with 125 kV voltage by means of a transmission line of 25 km (25 kV) through a transformer 25
kV/125 kV for an active power of 47 MVA. [3]

After the simulation, the curves are shown in Figure 3.

Wind
Wind
Vent

Multiplier
Multiplier BusJeuBar
de barre
Bus Bar

Multiplicateur Vers
Grid
Réseau

Machine Asynchrone
Turbine
Turbine
Turbine Asynchronous
Asynchronous
A cage machine
machine
Fig.4. Representation of 6 MW wind farm connected to grid without STATCOM and without Capacitor Banks
 M. Laouer et al. / Energy Procedia 50 (2014) 882 – 892 887

1.4 8

7
1.2
6

1 5

4
0.8

P (MW)
V (pu)

3
0.6
2

1
0.4
0
0.2
-1

0 -2
0 2 4 6 8 10 12 14 16 18 20 0 2 4 6 8 10 12 14 16 18 20
Time (s) Time (s)
(a) Voltage at node connection (b) Active power
12

10

8
Q (Mvar)

0
0 2 4 6 8 10 12 14 16 18 20
Time (s)
(c) Reactive power

Fig.5 Simulation results of 6 MW wind farm without compensation

The curves of voltage at bus B25 show the connection voltage level that is less than 1 pu, it is of the order of 0.94
pu and can not guarantee the connection to the grid.

5. Study of wind farm with STATCOM

The STATCOM whose block diagram is inserted into the 6MW wind farm as shown in Figure 4, uses the same
principle of compensation of reactive power. It consists of a capacitor with an inverter-side current (DC) and an
inductor coupling the AC side (AC), to be connected to the mains. The STATCOM regulates the voltage at the CPC
by controlling the amount of reactive power absorbed or injected into the network. When the voltage is low (V <V2)
the STATCOM generates reactive power (capacitive STATCOM) and when the voltage is high (V> V2), it absorbs
reactive power (inductive STATCOM). [4]
Wind
Bus bar

Multiplier
Grid

Transformer

Asynchronous
Machine

STATCOM
Fig.6. Block diagram of 6 MW wind farm with a STATCOM
888 M. Laouer et al. / Energy Procedia 50 (2014) 882 – 892

All generators used are machines asynchronous cage induction. The stator winding is connected directly to the
network of 60Hz and the rotor is controlled by a system of pitch - control.

The pitch angle of the blades is controlled such that the output power of the generator is limited to its nominal
value for wind speeds not exceeding the nominal speed 9 m/s. In order to run as a generator, the speed of the latter
must be slightly greater than the synchronous speed. It must also vary approximately between 1 and 1,005 pu at
rated load as shown in Figure 5 [6].

The rest of the reactive power required to maintain the voltage at the CPC bus B25 to 25k: v (1 pu) is provided by
a STATCOM of 3Mvar [3].

The simulation gives at the wind turbine the following results shown in Fig.7.

3.5 2

1.8
3
1.6

2.5 1.4
wt1 Reactive power
wt2 1.2 wt1
Active Power

2
wt3 wt2
1
wt3
1.5
0.8

1 0.6

0.4
0.5
0.2

0 0
0 2 4 6 8 10 12 14 16 18 20 0 2 4 6 8 10 12 14 16 18 20
Time(s) Time (s)
(a) Active Power (b) Reactive Power

1.007 12

1.006
10

1.005
8
1.004 wt1 wt1
Turbine speed

Wind speed

wt2 wt2
1.003 wt3 6 wt3

1.002
4

1.001
2
1

0.999 0
0 2 4 6 8 10 12 14 16 18 20 0 2 4 6 8 10 12 14 16 18 20
Time (s) Time (s)
(c) Turbine Speed (d) Wind Speed
 M. Laouer et al. / Energy Procedia 50 (2014) 882 – 892 889

5 wt1

Pitch angle
wt2
4 wt3

0
0 2 4 6 8 10 12 14 16 18 20
Time (s)

(e) Pitch angle

Fig.7. Results of simulation of the system with STATCOM at the wind farm

At the beginning, the wind speed is 8 m/s, then starting at t = 2 s for the wind turbine, the wind speed is reduced
to 11 m/s in 3 seconds. The same burst is applied to the wind turbine 2 and the turbine 3, respectively with 2 seconds
and 4 seconds of delay relative to the first.

For each wind turbine, the active power generated begins to increase smoothly with the wind velocity to reach its
nominal value of 3 MW for wind turbine 2 and 1.5 KW for wind turbines 1 and 3 after 8s. During this period, the
speed of the turbine increases from 1.0028 to l.0047 pu for the wind turbine 2 and 1.0010 to 1.0025 pu for wind
turbines 1 and 3.

Initially, the pitch angle of the turbine blades is zero degree. When the output power is greater than 3 MW, the
pitch angle increased from 0° to 8° in order to keep the output power at its nominal value.

Reactive power and active power consumption generated simultaneously increasing. At nominal power, the wind
turbine 2 absorbs 1.47 Mvars and the two wind turbines 1 and 3 absorb 0.735 Mvar for wind speed of 11m / s.
At Bus connection B25, the simulation gives us the following results:

1.4 8

7
1.2

6
1

5
0.8
V (pu)

4
P (MW)

0.6
3
0.4
2

0.2
1

0 0
0 2 4 6 8 10 12 14 16 18 20 0 2 4 6 8 10 12 14 16 18 20
Time (s) Time (s)
(a) Voltage (b) Active Power
890 M. Laouer et al. / Energy Procedia 50 (2014) 882 – 892

1.4

1.2

0.8

Q (Mvar)
0.6

0.4

0.2

0
0 2 4 6 8 10 12 14 16 18 20
Time (s)

(c) Reactive Power

Fig.8. Simulation results of the system with STATCOM and capacitor banks at the Bus connection B25

The total power measured at connection node B25 is 6 MW maintaining the STATCOM voltage node B25 at
0.984 pu by generating 1.88 Mvars of reactive power.

We can say that the STATCOM has improved the system but the voltage at connection node B25 is not equal to
the nominal voltage 1 pu. It is around 0.984 pu and if we want to enhance it, we must add capacitor banks.

6. Study of wind farm with STATCOM and capacitor banks with a short-circuit fault in wind turbine 2

In this section we will simulate a fault of short-circuit at wind turbine 2 as shown in Fig.11, and we try to see if
the wind can still function after stopping the wind turbine 2.

Short circuit

Grid

STATCOM

Fig.11. Block diagram of wind farm 6 MW with short-circuit at wind turbine 2

 M. Laouer et al. / Energy Procedia 50 (2014) 882 – 892 891

1.4 8

1.2 7

6
1

Active power
0.8
V (pu)

4
0.6
3

0.4
2

0.2
1

0 0
0 2 4 6 8 10 12 14 16 18 20 0 2 4 6 8 10 12 14 16 18 20
Time (s) Time (s)
(a) Voltage at Bus connexion B25 (b) Active Power
8

5
Reactive power

-1
0 2 4 6 8 10 12 14 16 18 20
Time (s)

(c) Reactive Power

Fig.12. Simulation results of the system with a STATCOM and capacitor banks with a default

Interpretation of results

At time t = 10 s, a two phases fault is applied to the output of the wind turbine 2. At t = 10.11s, the protection
system of the wind turbine 2 is activated and disconnects the system. Wind turbines 1 and 3 continue to produce
active power 1.5 MW for each. We note that the voltage at node B25 (1.01 pu) is around 1 pu and active power drop
from 6 MW to 3 MW. Reactive power is around 0.35 Mvar

The simulation shows clearly the importance of a STATCOM in distribution of electrical system. With its
reactive energy supply, the STATCOM stabilizes the voltage to a relatively constant value despite the existence of
the short circuit in the wind turbine 2, thus avoiding disconnections following tripping of protective equipment wind
farms, and will maintain the wind farm connected to the grid under certain conditions of disturbance.

7. Conclusion

Through this paper we can say that the transfer of power in the system depends on several parameters. We also
note that the voltage drops at the connection bus depend heavily on the contribution of reactive power network.
Thus, proper control of reactive power is used to stabilize the voltage at the common connection point, or by
892 M. Laouer et al. / Energy Procedia 50 (2014) 882 – 892

injecting or absorbing reactive power of the network.

We have clearly demonstrated the importance of a STATCOM in distribution of energy may not be enough if we
proceed with the compensation of the reactive power of the wind farm by capacitor banks. The STATCOM with its
reactive energy intake stabilizes the voltage at a relatively constant value even in the presence of the fault in the
network. This, will avoid disconnections following tripping of protective equipment wind farms, and help maintain
the grid connected to wind turbines.

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