Patent ID: 8120932

Claim:
A system for connecting a wind turbine generator to a utility power network, the system comprising: a first power converter for converting an AC signal from the wind turbine generator to a DC signal and for supplying a controlled amount of reactive current to the wind turbine generator, a second power converter connected in series with the first converter for converting the DC signal from the first power converter to a line-side AC signal and for supplying a controlled amount of reactive current to the utility power network during a low voltage event, and a power dissipation element coupled to the first and second power converters for dissipating power from the first power converter, wherein the controlled amount of reactive current supplied to the utility power network satisfies a predetermined criterion associated with a voltage condition of the utility power network, and wherein when a voltage of the utility power network falls below a predetermined threshold, the controlled amount of reactive current satisfies the criterion that the magnitude of reactive current supplied to the utility power network be at least twice as the magnitude of real current supplied to the utility power network.