Wind Farms Reactive Power Optimization Using Genetic/Tabu Hybrid Algorithm

Considering the dynamic characteristic of wind farms, especially the wind turbines´ output fluctuate with wind speed, the optimal reactive power compensation problem for wind farms is formulated and solved by genetic/tabu search hybrid algorithm (GATS). A mathematical model of reactive power compensation, focused on voltage stability and power losses of wind farms, is developed, and the reactive power optimization scheme using GATS is also presented. Further, the optimization method is tested in a MATLAB based simulation model for an actual wind farm in Inner Mongolia. Test result indicated that the GATS has more powerful global searching ability and can converge more quickly than the genetic algorithm or tabu search respectively. With the computed result, the voltage of wind farms can be restricted within regular range, the power losses is also reduced greatly.