Green power - wind generated protection and control considerations

Wind-generated energy systems have some unique challenges for protection and control engineers. The typical wind farm is not a new form of generation being interconnected to the bulk power system. The success of the evolving Green Power Interconnected Projects is very dependent on the following of a logical method used by electrical systems, leading to a long life for the assets and investments for the project. The protection and control aspects of the multifunction numerical devices enhance the ability to operate reliably and to maintain the project electrical systems for the life of the asset. Power system faults will happen, and analysis tools imbedded in the numerical systems assist the engineer to ensure that the protection operates as designed. This allows adjustments to be made, if necessary. This paper will address the following topics for a typical wind farm: wind turbine-generator protection and control; 34.5 kV distribution wind farm substation and feeders protection; wind farm transmission interconnection; monitoring, command and control of the wind turbines and the interconnection system; start up and commissioning of the wind farm and associated substations; unusual operating and maintenance experience.