Poziv na predavanje: Experimental approach to development and validation of wind farm control

Abstract:

Wind energy has been growing rapidly in recent decades, and it is currently the main alternative energy source. In order to reduce construction, maintenance and commissioning costs, wind energy production is typically organised in wind farms rather than single isolated wind turbines, leading to wake interactions among different turbines, which can lead to power losses and increased structural loads. Traditionally, these interactions have been neglected by wind farm controllers, and each wind turbine has been optimizing its own performance. However, as it has been shown in recent years, a coordinated wind turbine operation can significantly improve the wind farm performance, resulting in a lower cost of energy and better grid integration.

This talk will present the main control objectives in a wind farm and possible wake control strategies. The current research gaps and open challenges regarding modelling, estimation and control of wind farms will be explained. The main focus will be on the importance of the experimental approach and our recent experimental activities, including a big turbulent wind tunnel with scaled wind turbine models and field experiments.

Brief bio:

Vlaho Petrović received his PhD degree in Electrical Engineering from University of Zagreb, Faculty of Electrical Engineering and Computing. Currently, he is a senior researcher at ForWind, University of Oldenburg, Germany, leading a team with a focus on wind turbine and wind farm control. His research interests include experimental work, optimal and predictive control, and system identification.