Maximizing wind farm production through pitch control using graph neural networks and hybrid learning methods

Abstract

This article presents a novel methodology to maximize wind farm power generation by integrating graph neural networks (GNN), supervised learning, and reinforcement learning techniques. First, the article introduces a graph-based representation of the wind farm, capturing wind turbines as vertices and the inter-turbine wake interactions as edges. The construction of this graph representation integrates the Jensen wake model, which includes insights derived from prior knowledge of wind farm aerodynamics. Subsequently, a detailed description of the GNN model's architecture, incorporating a message passing mechanism, is outlined. This GNN model is trained initially with supervised learning using a dataset of optimal pitch angles generated from the analytical results derived from Jensen wake model. Moreover, to improve the GNN model's accuracy and adaptability, reinforcement learning techniques are employed. The GNN model interacts with a high-fidelity wind farm simulation environment, receiving feedback in the form of rewards derived from the wind farm's actual power output. Through a policy gradient approach, the GNN parameters undergo iterative updates, enabling the model to learn and adapt to dynamic wind conditions and intricate turbine interactions. The effectiveness and advantages of the proposed methodology are demonstrated through comprehensive case studies across various wind farm layouts.