This paper deals with the design and the experimental validation in scale-lab test benches of an energy management algorithm based on feedback control techniques for a flywheel energy storage device. The aim of the flywheel is to smooth the net power injected to the grid by a wind turbine or by a wind power plant. In particular, the objective is to compensate the power disturbances produced by the cycling torque disturbances of the wind turbines due to the airflow deviation through its tower section. This paper describes the control design, its tuning, as well as the description of the experimental setup, and the methods for the experimental validation of the proposed concepts. Results show that the fast wind power fluctuations can be mostly compensated through the flywheel support.

This paper proposes a methodology for the economic optimisation of the sizing of Energy Storage Systems (ESSs) whilst enhancing the participation of Wind Power Plants (WPP) in network primary frequency control support. The methodology was designed flexibly, so it can be applied to different energy markets and to include different ESS technologies. The methodology includes the formulation and solving of a Linear Programming (LP) problem.; The methodology was applied to the particular case of a 50 MW WPP, equipped with a Vanadium Redox Flow battery (VRB) in the UK energy market. Analysis is performed considering real data on the UK regular energy market and the UK frequency response market. Data for wind power generation and energy storage costs are estimated from literature.; Results suggest that, under certain assumptions, ESSs can be profitable for the operator of a WPP that is providing frequency response. The ESS provides power reserves such that the WPP can generate close to the maximum energy available. The solution of the optimisation problem establishes that an ESS with a power rating of 5.3 MW and energy capacity of about 3 MW h would be enough to provide such service whilst maximising the incomes for the WPP operator considering the regular and frequency regulation UK markets. (C) 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.Postprint (published version

This work assesses the participation of wind power plants in primary frequency control support. To participate in frequency control-related tasks, the wind power plants have to maintain a certain level of power reserves. In this article, the wind power plant is equipped with a flywheel-based storage system to fulfil the power reserve requirements set by the network operator. The article focuses on two main aspects: the definition of the control strategy to derate the wind turbines to provide a part of the required power reserves; and the coordinated regulation of the power reserves of the wind turbines and the flywheels while participating in primary frequency control. This coordinated regulation enables the wind power plant to maintain the net level of power reserves set by the network operator while alleviating the need of deloading the wind turbines. The performance of the proposed control schemes are shown by simulation. (C) 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.Preprin