Fuzzy Control Techniques Applied to Wind Turbine Systems and Hydroelectric Plants

The interest on the use of renewable energy resources is increasing, especially wind and hydro powers. To this aim, fuzzy control techniques represent viable strategies that can be employed for this purpose, thanks to the features of these nonlinear dynamic processes working over a wide range of operating conditions, driven by stochastic inputs, excitations and disturbances. Based on past investigations carried out by the authors about the control of wind turbines and hydroelectric power plants, this paper provides some guidelines on the design and application of the control strategies suitable to these energy conversion systems. The working conditions of these energy conversion systems are also taken into account to highlight the reliability and robustness characteristics of the developed control strategies.