Adaptive Control of Wind Turbines for Maximum Power Point Tracking

This chapter presents an adaptive controller for maximum power point tracking (MPPT) of a small variable‐speed wind energy conversion system (WECS). According to the speed control criterion, WECSs can be classified into two types: fixed speed and variable speed. The chapter focuses on the generator control of wind turbines for maximum power point tracking in the partial‐load regime. The MPPT control methods can be classified into the following three categories: hill‐climbing search control, power signal feedback control and tip‐speed ratio control. A full‐converter wind turbine with a squirrel cage induction generator (SCIG) is used to illustrate the generator control system for a variable‐speed WECS. The chapter also presents case studies have been carried out to verify the developed adaptive controller for WECSs. WECSs are non‐linear systems with parameter uncertainties and which are subject to disturbances, in the form of non‐linear and unmodeled aerodynamics.