This paper investigates the current control for a grid-connected direct-drive wind energy conversion system (DDWECS) with a permanent magnet synchronous generator (PMSG), which utilizes a back-to-back pulse width modulation (PWM) converter. For the machine-side, the controller adopts a current vector control method based on the rotating reference frame (RRF) and the maximum power extraction (MPE) is realised through the tip speed ratio (TSR) method. For the grid-side, a novel controller is proposed for the first time to be successfully used for the DDWECS, which combining a proportional complex integral (PCI) current inner loop based on stationary reference frame (SRF) for regulating the grid-side current with a dc voltage outer loop for stabilizing the dc bus voltage and compare with the proportional resonant (PR) controller. A system simulation model is established by using the Matlab/Simulink to simulate the performance of the DDWECS and a prototype system has been build and tested to verify the validity of the developed control methods for both machine-side and grid-side and the excellent performance of the DDWECS. (C) 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.