Opportunities and challenges of high penetration wind power

Wind farms possess two assets which have potential for further economic exploitation: (1) the power electronic frequency changers in the front ends of the wind-turbine generators (WTGs); (2) the very large moments of inertia of the wind turbine blades. When wind penetration will be 20%, the electric power grid will have 20% power electronic control which can be used in the same way as FACTS for dynamic performance enhancement. The wind turbine blades are inbuilt flywheels whose kinetic energy storage can be used as primary reserve and as buffer to reduce cyclical stress which can cause fatigue failure of wind-turbine generators.