Optimization of variable speed wind power systems based on a LQG approach

This paper focuses on a control application of optimization in wind power systems. An optimal control structure for variable speed fixed pitch wind turbines is presented. The optimality of the whole system is defined by the trade-off between the energy conversion maximization and the control input minimization that determines the mechanical stress of the drive train. The frequency separation of the short-term and the long-term variations, adopted in the wind modelling, has resulted in a two-loop control structure. The optimal problem is treated within a complete linear quadratic stochastic approach, whose effectiveness was tested on an electromechanical wind turbine simulator.