CERTS microgrids with photovoltaic microsources and feeder flow control

A promising approach is proposed for extending the appealing features of the CERTS microgrid concept beyond its robust plug-and-play and autonomous control characteristics to include the integration of photovoltaic (PV) microsources with reduced volatility at the grid interface. The steady-state and transient characteristics of a proposed CERTS PV microgrid that incorporates a droop-controlled PV inverter source and a feeder flow-controlled microsource are explored under a variety of demanding conditions including time-variant changes in irradiance, microgrid islanding, and load change events. The proposed configuration exhibits well-behaved transient responses for a variety of events, as well as the ability to maximize the harvest of PV energy during all modes of operation. Simulations and experimental results from a CERTS microgrid testbed are provided to validate the proposed approach.