On the Effect of Partially Interconnected Grounding Systems in Wind Farms on Lightning Transients

Protection against lightning strikes is a critical concern for wind farms due to the height and exposure of Wind Turbines (WTs) to lightning. This paper investigates the influence of partially interconnected grounding systems in reducing overvoltages caused by direct lightning strikes in wind farms. The case study involves a wind farm consisting of 15 WTs, each with a rated power of 2 MVA. Attachment of a lightning strike with 50 kA of the current magnitude to one of the WT's blades is simulated, allowing for the evaluation of the effectiveness of partially interconnected grounding systems in reducing transient overvoltages created by lightning strikes. The findings of this research are valuable in developing effective grounding strategies for WTs in wind farms with challenging terrain. The numerical studies have shown that even a connection between the grounding systems of two neighborhoods' WTs can effectively reduce lightning transients in wind farms.