Reactive Power Control Method for an Integrated Wind and Solar Power System

A method of operating a power generation system (100) employing a generator (1 10) and a secondary power source (120, 795), wherein the generator is electrically coupled to a rotor side converter (130) and a point of common coupling (PCC) (103), the PCC being electrically coupled to a line side converter (140), a DC-DC converter (150) is electrically coupled to an output of the rotor side converter and an input of the line side converter, the DC-DC converter electrically coupled to the secondary power source, the method comprising:

• (a) determining (310) if a wind speed is less than a cut-in speed;
• (b) calculating (315) a reactive power demand for an electrical grid;
• (c) calculating (320) a reactive power capability of the line side converter;
• (d) determining (325) if the reactive power demand is greater than the reactive power capability;
• (e) calculating (330) a reactive power capability of the line side converter and the rotor side converter;
• (f) determining (335) if the reactive power demand is greater than the reactive power capability of the line side converter and the rotor side converter;
• (g) reducing (340) secondary power source generation if the reactive power demand is greater than the reactive power capability of the line side converter and the rotor side converter and repeating the determining if the reactive power demand is greater than the reactive power capability of the line side converter and the rotor side converter step, or reconfiguring at least one of the line side converter and the rotor side converter to meet reactive power demand.