A doubly fed induction generator (DFIG) is a variable speed induction machine. It is a standard, wound rotor induction machine with its stator windings directly connected to the grid and its rotor windings connected to the grid through a back-to-back AC/DC/AC PWM converter. The power generation of a DFIG includes power delivered from two paths, one from the stator to the grid and the other from the rotor, through the frequency converter, to the grid. The power production characteristics, therefore, depend not only on the induction machine but also on the two PWM converters as well as how they are controlled. This paper investigates power generation characteristics of a DFIG system through computer simulation. The specific features of the study are (1) a steady-state model of a DFIG system in d-q reference frame, (2) a simulation mechanism that reflects decoupled d-q control strategies, (3) power characteristic simulation for both generator and converter, and (4) an integrative study combining stator, rotor and converter together. An extensive analysis is conducted to examine integrated power generation characteristics of DFIG and its frequency converter under different wind and d-q control conditions so as to benefit the development of advanced DFIG control technology. (C) 2009 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.