Output Power Smoothing and Hydrogen Production by Using Variable Speed Wind Generators

• Published in: IEEE transactions on industrial electronics (1982) Vol. 57; no. 2; pp. 485 - 493
• Main Authors: Takahashi, R., Kinoshita, H., Murata, T., Tamura, J., Sugimasa, M., Komura, A., Futami, M., Ichinose, M., Ide, K.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: New York IEEE 01.02.2010; The Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, Inc. (IEEE)
• Subjects: Alternative energy sources; Fluctuation; Generators; Hydrogen; Hydrogen production; Power generation; Power smoothing; Power system simulation; Production; PSCAD; Simulation; Variable speed; variable speed wind generator; Wind energy; wind energy conversion; Wind energy generation; Wind power generation; Wind speed
• ISSN: 0278-0046; 1557-9948
• DOI: 10.1109/TIE.2009.2032437

This paper presents a combination system of wind energy conversion and hydrogen production. Hydrogen is expected as an alternative energy source in the future, and this is the best way to produce it from renewable energy like wind energy. On the other hand, the output of a wind generator, in general, fluctuates greatly due to wind speed variations, and thus the output fluctuations can have a serious influence on the power system operation. In the proposed system, a variable speed wind generator is adopted, and an electrolyzer is installed in parallel with it for hydrogen production. Output power from the wind generator is smoothed and supplied to the power system as well as to the electrolyzer based on the cooperative control method. The performance of the proposed system is evaluated by simulation analyses, in which simulations are performed by using PSCAD/EMTDC.