Green Energy"Engineering the Wind: Simulating Smarter Small Turbines"

Long story short

We supported a Flemish manufacturer in the early-stage development of a compact wind turbine designed for small and medium enterprises in rural areas. The task wasn’t simply to model how much power it could produce — it was about understanding the entire energy conversion process under real-world conditions, and ensuring the system could meet multiple objectives: efficiency, affordability, simplicity, and compliance.

Instead of relying on spreadsheets or steady-state assumptions, we built a full virtual model in MATLAB, Simulink, and Simscape that allowed us to simulate the system dynamically — right down to inverter switching and DC bus voltage ripple. Our client discovered that the real value of simulation lies in exposing hidden trade-offs, long before you cut metal!

“In projects like this, simulation isn’t just a technical tool — it’s a strategic asset. It gives clients the confidence to move forward with data, not assumptions ⚙️🏆”
Simulation team- CTRL engineering

The Challenge: Balancing complexity, cost, and performance

Bringing a small wind turbine to life isn’t just a technical exercise — it’s a complex balancing act. The design needed to produce usable energy at relatively low average wind speeds, remain affordable for end users, comply with local regulations, and still offer a competitive return on investment. These objectives were not always aligned. Higher energy capture would typically require more complex and expensive systems, which could jeopardize cost-effectiveness. Meanwhile, maximizing simplicity could limit adaptability or reduce efficiency in less-than-ideal conditions.

Our client needed more than just rough sizing calculations. They wanted to understand the system’s true performance potential, see how it responded under real-world conditions, and determine the economic viability across multiple scenarios — all before committing to a prototype. This required a detailed modeling effort that could capture the dynamic interactions between aerodynamics, electrical conversion, and control behavior.

Our Approach: One integrated model, built in Simulink and Simscape

A high-fidelity digital twin of the full wind energy system was developed. Each subsystem — the rotor, generator, power electronics, control logic, and grid interface — was modeled independently in Simulink and Simscape, then integrated into a complete simulation environment.

We modeled aerodynamic energy capture using tip-speed ratio dynamics, translating variable wind profiles into mechanical torque. The generator was represented as a permanent magnet synchronous machine (PMSM) with detailed electrical characteristics, including flux linkage, copper losses, and dynamic inductance behavior. Electrical conversion from DC to grid-tied AC was managed through rectifier-inverter models, with the DC bus voltage controlled in real-time to maintain load stability.

Control was a major focus of the study. We implemented two critical loops — tip-speed ratio (TSR) control and a power control loop managing the DC bus voltage. Together, they regulated the electrical load on the turbine and ensured that the rotor operated at its most efficient point across varying wind speeds. The system’s behavior under load changes, wind fluctuations, and startup transients was analyzed in full. At each point in the simulation, we tracked mechanical power, generator efficiency, rectifier and inverter losses, DC voltage stability, and grid injection power.

Results: Risk reduced, clarity increased

The virtual model showed that the system could reach over 90% electrical efficiency at peak conditions. Control loops handled wind turbulence effectively, preventing overspeed and ensuring grid stability. Losses across generator and inverter stages were calculated and visualized, offering a clear breakdown of where power was used — and where it was lost.

The client also received a financial ROI model tied directly to technical outputs. Based on location, usage profile, and self-consumption ratios, we projected a payback period under 10 years.

Why it matters to you? Smarter design starts with simulation

Simulation doesn’t just save time — it eliminates guesswork. By modeling the wind turbine in detail before building it, our client was able to make strategic decisions with data, avoid overengineering, and ensure the system would work as intended under real conditions.

CTRL Engineering empowers machine builders and system designers to move faster, reduce risk, and unlock deeper understanding — all through model-based design. If you’re navigating technical trade-offs, we’ll help you make them with confidence.