Maximum Power Point Tracking Algorithm for Variable Speed Wind Turbine System

This paper aims to apply a maximum power point tracking (MPPT) algorithm into a wind turbine with variable speed generator model, jointly the wind energy conversion system (WECS). There are several types of wind turbine in different configurations and their efficiencies in energy extraction are different depending on their aerodynamic designs. In general, their power efficiencies are bounded by the natural aerodynamic limits. Hence, the MPPT algorithm is expected to improve and increase the power efficiency to the maximum level within the limited boundary. In this paper, the wind turbine is modelled after a horizontal-axis wind turbine (HAWT) because it has the higher power coefficient, while the generator will be a variable speed synchronous generator due to the speed variation feature and higher optimal rotor speed. The performance of system is simulated in MATLAB-SIMULINK.