Optimal Connection of Offshore Wind Farm with Maximization of Wind Capacity to Power Systems considering Losses and Security Constraints

Abstract

The technical, economic, and environmental constraints related to the construction of new transmission lines are complex issues related to the definition of points for connecting new offshore wind farms (OWFs) to the grid. In this context, it has become an important research topic to choose the best OWF connection point to a power system, among some geographically close to each other within a given region, aiming at ensuring maximum generation capacity of the wind farm and safe use of existing transmission network. The objective of this work is to present a methodology to determine the optimal OWF connection point in a power system, with maximum penetration of firm wind power and minimum loss, considering security constraints related to the “N−1” contingency criterion, exchange limits between areas, and a strategy to reduce the number of constraints in the optimization problem. The algorithm is modeled using a Mixed Integer Nonlinear Programming (MINLP), and it is evaluated in a tutorial system and three well-known other networks from literature: IEEE 14-Bus, IEEE RTS-79, and Southern Brazilian System.