Abstract: A method of verifying operation of at least one wind turbine sensor includes dynamically defining a neighborhood of neighbor wind turbines for a first wind turbine, each neighbor wind turbine including at least one sensor. The method also includes receiving data from at least one neighbor wind turbine sensor and determining a status of at least one sensor of the first wind turbine using the data received from the neighbor wind turbine sensor.

Abstract: Certain embodiments of the invention may include systems and methods for regulating power in renewable energy sources. According to an exemplary embodiment of the invention, a method is provided for regulating active power produced by the renewable energy source towards an apparent power setpoint. The method may include selectively regulating voltage based on power factor foldback or voltage foldback associated with the renewable energy source. When power factor foldback is selected, the method may include regulating the power factor associated with the renewable energy source based at least in part on a power factor angle magnitude setpoint, and reducing the power factor angle magnitude setpoint towards zero when apparent power produced by the renewable energy source approaches or exceeds the apparent power setpoint.

Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for reactive power regulation and voltage support for renewable energy plants. In one embodiment, a system and method are provided for coordinating voltage and reactive power output of a plant with one or more requirements associated with a utility. The method can include generating a VAR regulator output signal based at least in part on a reactive power control signal received from a utility, controlling reactive power and voltage output of the one or more power sources based at least in part on the generated VAR regulator output signal, aggregating reactive power output or the one or more power sources, and providing the aggregated reactive power to the utility.

Abstract: Certain embodiments of the invention may include systems and methods for controlling power in renewable solar energy sources. According to an example embodiment of the invention, a method is provided for controlling a renewable energy solar farm, where the farm may include one or more renewable energy sources. The method may include measuring aggregate energy output of the renewable energy solar farm and measuring individual source energy output of the one or more renewable energy sources. The method may also include controlling energy production from the one or more renewable energy sources via a controller based at least in part on the measured aggregate energy output and the measured individual source energy output, where the controller facilitates communications with the one or more renewable energy sources.

Abstract: Certain embodiments of the invention may include systems and methods for controlling power ramp rates in renewable variable power generation systems. According to an exemplary embodiment of the invention, a method is provided for limiting power ramp rates.

Abstract: Systems and methods for interfacing a renewable power source to a power grid are provided. A weather condition that may affect the power output of the renewable power source is identified. A potential impact of the identified weather condition on the renewable power source is determined. An output of the renewable power source that is supplied to the power grid is adjusted based at least in part on the determination.

Abstract: A control system for a wind turbine, the control system having at least one measurement device configured to measure at least one operating condition of the wind turbine and a first controller. The first controller is configured to calculate an operating limit of the wind turbine based on the measured operating condition and to adjust the operating limit based on a limiting condition of a component of the wind turbine.

Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for reactive power regulation and voltage support for renewable energy plants. In one embodiment, a system and method are provided for coordinating voltage and reactive power output of a plant with one or more requirements associated with a utility. The method can include generating a VAR regulator output signal based at least in part on a reactive power control signal received from a utility, controlling reactive power and voltage output of the one or more power sources based at least in part on the generated VAR regulator output signal, aggregating reactive power output or the one or more power sources, and providing the aggregated reactive power to the utility.

Abstract: A solar farm system is provided that is configured for reducing electrical loss. The solar farm system includes a plurality of PV arrays coupled to inverters and a collector system including a conductor or network of conductors. The collector system also includes a plurality of transformers with one or more transformers connected between the inverters and the conductors. The solar farm also includes a substation transformer connecting the solar farm collector system to the electrical grid. The solar farm includes a control system configured to determine at least one operating parameter for the solar farm system to reduce electrical loss and to regulate the collector system and the plurality of inverters based at least in part on the at least one operating parameter.

Abstract: Systems and methods for interfacing renewable power sources to a power grid are provided. In certain systems and methods, at least one weather condition that may affect the power output of a renewable power source is identified. A potential impact of the identified at least one weather condition on the renewable power source is determined. Historical data associated with the impact of at least one prior weather condition on the renewable power source is accessed. An output of the renewable power source that is supplied to the power grid is adjusted based at least in part on the determined potential impact and the historical data.

Abstract: Certain embodiments of the invention may include systems and methods for controlling power in renewable solar energy sources. According to an example embodiment of the invention, a method is provided for controlling a renewable energy solar farm, where the farm may include one or more renewable energy sources. The method may include measuring aggregate energy output of the renewable energy solar farm and measuring individual source energy output of the one or more renewable energy sources. The method may also include controlling energy production from the one or more renewable energy sources via a controller based at least in part on the measured aggregate energy output and the measured individual source energy output, where the controller facilitates communications with the one or more renewable energy sources.

Abstract: A system and method for controlling power ramp rate of a wind farm is provided. The wind farm includes a plurality of wind turbine generators and a wind farm control system. The wind farm control system is operable to monitor rate of change of collective power output of the wind turbine generators, and to limit the rate of change of collective power output by generating a power output rate limiting signal based on the monitored rate of change of collective power output of the wind turbine generators and a desired collective power ramp of the wind turbine generators and applying the power output rate limiting signal to the plurality of wind turbine generators.

Abstract: A method for controlling a ramp rate of a wind farm is described. The method includes predicting an initial predicted power to be output by a wind farm including a wind turbine.

Abstract: A method for controlling power produced by a windfarm includes regulating active power produced by the windfarm in accordance with an apparent power setpoint, and regulating a power factor of the windfarm in accordance with a power factor setpoint. However, during periods in which the apparent power setpoint is approached or exceeded, the method includes reducing a magnitude of an angle of a power factor setpoint towards zero and regulating the power factor of the windfarm in accordance with the reduced power factor setpoint angle magnitude.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for extending the power-capture region of a wind turbine during certain operating conditions is disclosed. The actual set point of an operational parameter is selected so as to be maintained at a predetermined number of standard deviations away from an operating limit during certain operating conditions. For example, the operational parameter may be a rotor/generator speed and the operating condition may be a mean wind speed that exceeds a predetermined wind speed.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for extending the power-capture region of a wind turbine during certain operating conditions is disclosed. The actual set point of an operational parameter is selected so as to be maintained at a predetermined number of standard deviations away from an operating limit during certain operating conditions. For example, the operational parameter may be a rotor/generator speed and the operating condition may be a mean wind speed that exceeds a predetermined wind speed.

Abstract: A system and method to increase the overall power output of a windpark during conditions when the wake created by an upstream turbine effects the power production of a downstream turbine. Minimizing the wake effects created by an upstream turbine on a downstream turbine increases the net power produced by both the upstream and downstream turbines. The invention is an implementation of an algorithm to determine the controller settings of one or more upstream turbines to increase total energy capture of the turbines in the windpark. The algorithm also reduces the fatigue loads on the downstream turbines by reducing the turbulence created by the wake effects of the upstream turbine.

Abstract: A system and method of operating a wind farm, having multiple wind turbine generators, at high wind speeds is provided. Wind speeds at individual wind turbine generators are monitored and a signal is transmitted from the wind turbine generators to a wind farm control system based on the monitored wind speeds. Rate of change of collective power output of the wind farm is temporally monitored and is controlled by coordinating of operational states of the wind turbine generators based upon the signals transmitted by the one or more wind turbine generators, operating conditions of the wind turbine generators and the monitored rate of change of power output of the wind farm.

Abstract: Wind turbine generator wind farm systems to collect data for use for wind farm control. A combination master-slave supervisory command and data acquisition (SCADA) architecture together with distributed databases local to the data producing device within a wind farm provide functionality for real-time monitoring and control as well as secondary data processing and/or remote user access. The architecture facilitates approximately real-time monitoring and control of devices in the wind farm both locally and remotely while also facilitating reliable archiving of operational data of individual wind turbines as well as totalized wind farm data.

Abstract: An apparatus for controlling a microturbine, the apparatus including: a rectifier adapted for converting at least one generated voltage from the microturbine to a DC link voltage; an inverter adapted for converting the DC link voltage to at least one inverter output voltage, the at least one inverter output voltage being electrically coupled to an external power bus; a starter drive adapted for converting at least one starter input voltage to at least one starter output voltage, the at least one starter input voltage being electrically coupled to the external power bus, the at least one starter output voltage being electrically coupled to the microturbine.