Dynamic rating assists cost-effective expansion of wind farms byutilizing hidden capacity of transformers

• Dynamic rating of power transmission devices is a technology that allows better equipment utilization through real-time information about the system state. Dynamic rating of transformers is a fairly new technology if compared to dynamic rating of power lines, and has high potential for significantly improving component utilization while lowering investment costs on installing new transformers.Dynamic transformer rating increases the rating of the transformer considering load and temperature variations without affecting safe operation. Dynamic rating is highly suitable for being used in conjunction with renewable energy generation, specifically wind power. The following work investigates how to utilize existing transformers, which are under exploitation at wind farms, for expanding wind generation capacity. Also, this paper shows improvements that dynamic rating can bring to both power grid operators and wind farm owners by exploring the economic benefits of expanding wind parks while using dynamic rating. Connecting additional wind turbines with the same transformer at sites with high wind capacity after the wind park is already in exploitation can assist in lowering electricity price and provide a possibility of less risky investment in wind power.Five transformer locations and nine units are studied for finding the potential of dynamic transformer rating for network expansion applications. The analysis shows that the optimal expansion of wind power from a generator perspective is around 30 % to 50 %, although, it can be limited further by network restrictions. A possibility to use a large device, suchas power transformer, closer to its full potential can provide material and cost savings for building new devices and decrease investment costs on manufacturing, transportation and installation of new units. Dynamic rating of power transformers can also increase the socio-economic benefits of renewable energy by lowering electricity price from renewables and incentivize an increased share of green power in electricity markets.

Subject headings

TEKNIK OCH TEKNOLOGIER  -- Elektroteknik och elektronik (hsv//swe)

ENGINEERING AND TECHNOLOGY  -- Electrical Engineering, Electronic Engineering, Information Engineering (hsv//eng)

Keyword

dynamic transformer rating

wind energy integration

planning of power systems

reliability of power components

Electrical Engineering

Elektro- och systemteknik

Publication and Content Type

vet (subject category)

ovr (subject category)