The power output of wind turbines can go up or down by 50 percent within seconds. Such fluctuations in the megawatt range put a strain on both power grids and the turbines themselves. A new study by researchers from the University of Oldenburg and the Sharif University of Technology in Tehran presents a method that could help to prevent these power swings.

The research team led by lead author Dr Pyei Phyo Lin from the University of Oldenburg analysed data from several turbines in a wind farm. “Because wind turbines operate under turbulent wind conditions – similar to a plane landing in strong winds – all the measured data display multiple fluctuations and no clear signal can be detected. We refer to this as ‘noise’,” Lin explained. The physics engineer and his colleagues applied stochastic methods to analyse time series of the wind speed, the electrical output of the turbines and the rotational speed of the generator.

According to the study, it is the control systems of wind turbines that are mainly responsible for short-term fluctuations in electrical output. The research results also point to how these systems can be optimised to ensure that the turbines’ energy output is more consistent. The study was published in the science journal PRX Energy.