Grid-integrated permanent magnet synchronous generator based wind energy conversion systems: A technology review

The growing trends in wind energy technology are motivating the researchers to work in this area with the aim towards the optimization of the energy extraction from the wind and the injection of the quality power into the grid. Over the last few years, wind generators based on permanent magnet synchronous machines (PMSMs) are becoming the most popular solution for the modern wind energy conversion systems (WECSs). This paper presents a concise review of the grid-integrated WECSs employing permanent magnet synchronous generators (PMSGs). It reviews the trends in converter topologies, control methodologies, and methods for maximum energy extraction in PMSG based WECSs, which have been reported in various research literatures primarily in reputed research journals and transactions during last few years. It also presents an overview to the grid interconnection issues related to output power smoothing and reactive power control in addition to fault-ride-through (FRT) and grid support capabilities of PMSG based WECSs. This review article will serve the researchers working in the area of grid-integrated PMSG based WECSs in the exploration of trends, developments and challenges in the past research works and in finding out the relevant references for their research work. (C) 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.