Optimisation of the Structure of a Wind Farm—Kinetic Energy Storage for Improving the Reliability of Electricity Supplies

Abstract

An important issue in the correct operation of the power system is the reliability of the electricity supply from generation systems. This particular problem especially concerns renewable sources, the output power of which is variable over time and additionally has a stochastic character. The solution used in the work to improve the reliability indicators of wind farm sources is the partial stabilization of their output power achieved through cooperation with the kinetic energy storage. Excessive increase in storage capacity is associated with a large increase in investment and operating costs. It is therefore important to determine the minimum storage capacity required to maintain the accepted criteria for the reliability of energy supply. In this paper, a population meta-heuristics algorithm was used for this purpose. The obtained results confirm the possibility of limiting the energy capacity of the flywheels, they also indicate its non-linear character as a function of selected parameters of the reliability of energy supplies from wind farms.