Supercapacitors for wind power application

In this paper, a Distribution Static Compensator (D-STATCOM) assisted by a supercapacitor energy storage system (SCESS) is used to provide active and reactive power to minimize the power fluctuation caused in wind energy conversion systems (WECS). Appropirate voltage and reactive power control is provided by the D-STATCOM and the SCESS provides the active power required to minimize the power fluctuation from the wind. A vector control strategy was developed for active and reactive power control between the D-STATCOM/ SCESS and the Point of common coupling (PCC). The control system developed has two independent modes. One mode controls the D-STATCOM and the other the DC-DC Converter. The DC-DC converter is a buck-boost converter to exchange active power between the SCESS and the PCC through the DC link capacitor of the D-STATCOM. The effectiveness of the proposed controller was tested in MATLAB/SIMULINK and a laboratory prototype.