TECHNICAL CHALLENGES ON MICROGRIDS

Microgrids are becoming increasingly attractive to consumers and as such in the future, a great number of them will be installed at consumer’s sites. In this situation, conventional distribution networks that accept distributed generation connections may face serious difficulty when its control and protection functions become more complicated. This incurs a burden to the network operation and some technical limitations will appear when a great number of distributed generations are installed. One way of overcoming such problems, a micro grid system is formed to provide reliable electricity and heat delivering services by connecting distributed generations and loads together within a small area. A microgrid is usually connected to an electrical distribution network in an autonomous way and employs various distributed generation technologies such as micro-turbine, fuel cell, photovoltaic system together with energy storage devices such as battery, condenser and flywheel. Micro grids can cause several technical problems in its operation and control when operated as autonomous systems. This paper is a review of three technical challenges on micro grid with respect to voltage and frequency control, islanding and protection of microgrids.

[1]  P.W. Lehn,et al.  Micro-grid autonomous operation during and subsequent to islanding process , 2005, IEEE Transactions on Power Delivery.

[2]  J.A.P. Lopes,et al.  Control strategies for microgrids emergency operation , 2005, 2005 International Conference on Future Power Systems.

[3]  M.A. Redfern,et al.  Protecting micro-grid systems containing solid-state converter generation , 2005, 2005 International Conference on Future Power Systems.

[4]  N. D. Hatziargyriou,et al.  Micro-Grid Simulation during Grid-Connected and Islanded Modes of Operation , 2005 .

[5]  C. Marnay,et al.  Shape of the microgrid , 2000, 2001 IEEE Power Engineering Society Winter Meeting. Conference Proceedings (Cat. No.01CH37194).

[6]  R.H. Lasseter,et al.  Autonomous control of microgrids , 2006, 2006 IEEE Power Engineering Society General Meeting.

[7]  N.D. Hatziargyriou,et al.  Distributed energy sources: technical challenges , 2002, 2002 IEEE Power Engineering Society Winter Meeting. Conference Proceedings (Cat. No.02CH37309).

[8]  Poh Chiang Loh,et al.  Protection of Microgrids During Utility Voltage Sags , 2006, IEEE Transactions on Industrial Electronics.

[9]  R.H. Lasseter,et al.  Microgrid: a conceptual solution , 2004, 2004 IEEE 35th Annual Power Electronics Specialists Conference (IEEE Cat. No.04CH37551).

[10]  J.A.P. Lopes,et al.  Defining control strategies for MicroGrids islanded operation , 2006, IEEE Transactions on Power Systems.

[11]  E.F. El-Saadany,et al.  Protective Relay Coordination for Micro-grid Operation Using Particle Swarm Optimization , 2006, 2006 Large Engineering Systems Conference on Power Engineering.

[12]  A. Arulampalam,et al.  Control of power electronic interfaces in distributed generation microgrids , 2004 .

[13]  H. Laaksonen,et al.  Voltage and frequency control of inverter based weak LV network microgrid , 2005, 2005 International Conference on Future Power Systems.

[14]  T.C. Green,et al.  Modeling, Analysis and Testing of Autonomous Operation of an Inverter-Based Microgrid , 2007, IEEE Transactions on Power Electronics.

[15]  T. Funabashi,et al.  Microgrid field test experiences in Japan , 2006, 2006 IEEE Power Engineering Society General Meeting.

[16]  G. Venkataramanan,et al.  Small Signal Dynamics of Inverter Interfaced Distributed Generation in a Chain-Microgrid , 2007, 2007 IEEE Power Engineering Society General Meeting.

[17]  E.F. El-Saadany,et al.  Distributed Generation Micro-Grid Operation: Control and Protection , 2006, 2006 Power Systems Conference: Advanced Metering, Protection, Control, Communication, and Distributed Resources.

[18]  H. Nikkhajoei,et al.  Microgrid Protection , 2007, 2007 IEEE Power Engineering Society General Meeting.

[19]  K.A. Nigim,et al.  Intention islanding of distributed generation for reliability enhancement , 2003, 2003 IEEE Power Engineering Society General Meeting (IEEE Cat. No.03CH37491).