The response of the doubly fed induction generator (DFIG) wind turbine system to grid disturbances is simulated and verified experimentally. The results are compared to the response that a fixed-speed wind turbine would have given. A voltage sag to 80% (80% remaining voltage) is handled very well, which is not the case for a fixed-speed wind turbine. A second-order model for prediction of the response of DFIG wind turbines is derived, and its simulated performance is successfully verified experimentally. The power quality impact by the DFIG wind turbine system is measured and evaluated. Steady-state impact, such as flicker emission, reactive power, and harmonic emission, is measured and analyzed. It is found that the flicker emission is very low, the reactive power is close to zero in the whole operating range, and the current THD is always lower than 5%.