arXiv subjects

Rasool Heydari

Publications and source records attributed to Rasool Heydari.

2 recordsLinked to original sources

arXiv2026

Stability Enhancement in Weak Grids with High Renewable Penetration: Synchronous Condenser vs. Converter-based Technologies

Integrating renewable energy sources into weak grids presents significant challenges for maintaining grid stability. Several essential services are required to ensure a stable and secure grid, including voltage support, fault current injection, system strength support, frequency control, and inertia support. Synchronous condensers, with their inherent inertia and fault current capabilities, have been traditional solutions for grid stability. Recent advancements in power electronics and control structures have led to the development of various technologies aimed at enhancing power grid stability. Static synchronous compensators (STATCOM) and Enhanced STATCOM, which can provide active and reactive power support, show considerable promise. These technologies offer grid-forming (GFM) capabilities that can significantly improve the stability of weak grids with high renewable penetration. Advancements in STATCOM and E-STATCOM technologies offer enhanced control tunability, controllable damping, and immediate response to grid perturbations. This paper investigates the comparative performance of synchronous condensers versus STATCOM and Enhanced STATCOM with grid-forming capability in providing services and enhancing the stability of weak grids with high renewable penetration.

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arXiv2026

Grid-Forming Enhanced STATCOMs for Wind Power Plant Stability: Design, Modeling, and Control

The increasing integration of renewable energy sources (RES) into modern power systems, particularly in weak grid environments, demands advanced solutions for voltage and frequency stability. This paper demonstrates that Enhanced STATCOMs (E-STATCOMs) with grid-forming capabilities outperform synchronous condensers (Syncons) in wind farm applications. Using a power-admittance-based linear modeling framework and validated through detailed EMT simulations, the study shows that E-STATCOMs provide superior damping of sub-synchronous resonance (SSR), faster dynamic response, and effective suppression of DC components, transient overvoltages, and new oscillatory modes introduced by series compensation. Unlike Syncons, which are limited by mechanical inertia, E-STATCOMs offer tunable control, virtual impedance emulation, and scalable fault current support. These advantages make E-STATCOMs a more robust and flexible solution for stabilizing renewable-dominated grids, especially those with long transmission lines and series compensation. The paper also aims to provide a benchmark E-STATCOM design criterion that enables stakeholders, such as transmission system operators (TSOs), to assess its suitability without the need for exhaustive EMT simulations.

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