‘Smart’ system regulates wind turbines

This is the claim of researchers at Birmingham University who said their development could also support the increase of wind energy use world-wide.

Power to the people

According to the University, the 'smart' system uses the variable speed of the rotors in wind turbine systems to more closely regulate the supply of power to the grid: when electricity demand is high, stored kinetic energy in the turbines can be used intelligently to keep the grid stable.

Regulating the supply of electricity to keep pace with demand is a continual challenge. Sudden outage of power generation, such as when a generator gets damaged, can cause a 'frequency dip', which can lead to power cuts. The UK's large power stations currently manage these dips by pushing out more electricity.

However, as more wind turbines are integrated into the system, it becomes more difficult to balance supply and demand and keep the system stable, as frequency dips in national power grid occur more quickly and more severely than before when wind generation became such a significant element of electricity generation.