Assessing control and management issues for micro wind generation integration into microgrids

In order to integrate distributed generation (DG) in the current electricity grids, it is necessary to identify the essential interventions able to manage the evolution of existing electrical networks. A large penetration of micro generation, also based on renewable energy sources, can be favoured by the creation of microgrids managed by Information and communication technology (ICT). In order to assess the control and management issues related to the integration of micro wind generation into microgrids, an experimental management system based on ICT is presented in the paper. The system is used to manage a 20 kW variable speed wind turbine connected to the low voltage distribution network of the University of Salerno Campus. The system consists of a human machine interface, a communication system based on WiMAX technology and an acquisition system based on national instrument technology.