Comparative Analysis of Reactive Power Compensation Strategies for Grid-Connected Wind Farms Using STATCOM and Hybrid Control Techniques

Abstract

This paper presents a comparative analysis of reactive power compensation strategies for improving voltage stability in grid-connected wind farms. A 100 MW wind farm is modeled using DIgSILENT PowerFactory and MATLAB to evaluate the performance of conventional STATCOM control and an enhanced hybrid control technique under grid disturbance conditions. Low-voltage ride-through (LVRT) and high-voltage ride-through (HVRT) scenarios, including voltage sags (0 p.u., 0.4 p.u.) and swells (1.15 p.u., 1.20 p.u.), are investigated. The performance of both strategies is assessed based on voltage recovery time, reactive current response, and overall system stability. Simulation results show that the hybrid control technique provides faster voltage recovery and improved dynamic performance compared to conventional STATCOM control. The findings highlight the importance of advanced control strategies in enhancing grid code compliance and supporting reliable integration of large-scale wind energy systems.