Hebei Power Grid has successfully completed its first station-level wind farm black start test, demonstrating how wind generation and energy storage can support electricity supply restoration following a major grid blackout. The test was conducted at the Liuqing Wind Farm in China’s Hebei Province, where a 35 kV collector line was energized and operated stably for more than three hours.
The test marks a technical development in integrating renewable energy into grid restoration procedures. As wind and solar power account for a growing share of electricity generation in the region, grid-forming technology could provide additional resources for restoring local power supplies when conventional grid connections are unavailable.
Grid-Forming Technology Supports Black Start Capability
Black start refers to the process of restoring electricity generation and transmission after a widespread blackout without relying on an external power supply to restart the system. Conventional wind turbines generally follow the voltage and frequency established by the grid, meaning they cannot independently restart a power system after a complete loss of supply.
Grid-forming wind turbines, when integrated with energy storage, can establish voltage and frequency independently. This capability allows the equipment to energize selected electrical infrastructure and potentially support the gradual restoration of other equipment within a wind farm.
During the wind farm black start test, energy storage equipment helped the grid-forming system establish voltage and energize the 35 kV collector line. The equipment then operated stably for more than three hours, demonstrating that a single grid-forming turbine could drive the restart process for the wind farm under the tested conditions.
The result provides a potential pathway for incorporating renewable generation into emergency grid restoration strategies. However, wider deployment will depend on technical requirements, system configuration and validation under different grid conditions.
Renewable Energy Growth Increases Grid Restoration Needs
The test comes as renewable energy capacity continues to expand across Hebei’s southern power grid. By the end of September 2026, installed wind and solar capacity in the region had reached 59.23 million kilowatts, equivalent to 59.23 GW, accounting for more than 61% of total installed capacity.
With wind and solar resources representing a growing proportion of the regional generation mix, grid operators are exploring ways to maintain stability and restore electricity supply during major disruptions. Wind farms equipped with grid-forming systems and energy storage could potentially provide local support alongside established black start resources, including pumped-storage hydropower.
The ability to establish voltage without an external grid supply is particularly relevant during emergency conditions. It could help reduce dependence on conventional generation sources for initial restoration and provide additional options for reconnecting parts of the electricity network.
Simulation and Risk Assessment Preceded the Test
Before the field test, technical specialists from the State Grid Hebei Electric Power Research Institute developed a high-precision simulation model to assess system behaviour under complex operating conditions. The team repeatedly evaluated risks associated with key stages, including voltage establishment, grid connection and stable load carrying.
This preparatory work helped assess the system’s response before the technology was tested at the wind farm. During the field operation, the integrated grid-forming and energy storage equipment established voltage and energized the collector line, after which the system maintained stable operation for more than three hours.
The successful test indicates that the technology can support a defined black start sequence at the station level. Further engineering work and operational validation would be needed to establish how the approach could be applied across different wind farms and wider network restoration scenarios.
Wind Farms Could Expand Emergency Power Resources
The Liuqing test adds wind generation to the range of resources being evaluated for grid restoration in Hebei. By combining grid-forming turbines with energy storage, operators could potentially use renewable energy facilities as local emergency resources rather than relying exclusively on conventional generation and storage assets.
The approach may be particularly useful in areas with high renewable energy penetration, where maintaining reliable electricity supply requires new methods of coordinating generation, storage and grid control systems.
The successful demonstration provides an engineering example for further evaluation in North China and other regions with substantial wind and solar capacity. Its wider contribution will depend on the ability to replicate the performance under different network configurations, operating conditions and restoration requirements.
As renewable generation expands, grid-forming technology could become an increasingly important part of strategies to strengthen electricity system resilience and accelerate recovery from major power disruptions.