Microgrids are local groups of electricity generation, storage and loads that can operate in parallel with the grid or autonomously as a power island. Accurate and detailed microgrid simulation models are required for studying the operation, control and protection issues related to microgrids. A real-time simulation model of a medium voltage microgrid with distributed energy re-sources (DERs) was developed using the RTDS real-time digital simulator. The DERs in this microgrid include a diesel generator, a photovoltaic (PV) system, and a doubly-fed induction generator (DFIG) wind turbine system. The average-value models for the PV and DFIG power electronic interfaces were developed to reduce the hardware requirements on the RTDS. The steady state and transient response of the microgrid when in the grid-con-nected and islanded modes of operation was shown to give satisfactory performance. The microgrid was interfaced to a protection relay to demonstrate hardware in the loop simula-tions. / October 2015

A MicroGrid is typically a small power system, which consists of several microsources and energy storage units, providing heat and electricity to local loads. The MicroGrid has the capability to island and operate autonomously from the main utility network. MicroGrids potentially enable a greater integration of small-scale renewable energy sources. The objective of this thesis is to develop a single-phase microsource interface with energy storage unit embedded into the interface. An integrated energy storage unit avoids the necessity of a separate stand-alone energy storage unit in the MicroGrid. Thus the 'plug-and-play' functionality of the MicroGrid can be improved. A collection of power electronic converter based microsources with storage units connected to form a MicroGrid is a complex system. Development of such simple controllers, which decouple the effect of sub-unit while achieving the desired 'plug-and-play' capabilities, is a complex but important challenge. A photovoltaic panel was considered as the microsource and a battery bank was used as the energy storage unit. The proposed microsource interface consists of three power electronic converters. A photovoltaic panel is connected to a unidirectional dc-dc converter and its output is connected to the input of the single-phase inverter which can be connected to the MicroGrid. Energy storage is connected to the dc-link,which is the input of the single-phase inverter, through a bi-directional dc-dc converter. A simulation model of a photovoltaic panel was developed in the EMTDC/PSCAD software. The limitations of the model and a method to reduce these limitations are discussed. For the experimental validation of the proposed system, an adjustable-voltage-regulator hardware photovoltaic emulator was designed. The characteristic curves of the hardware emulator are compared with those obtained from the simulation model. A controller was designed for the unidirectional dc-dc converter to keep the output voltage of the photovoltaic panel at a given reference. Similarly the controller of the bi-directional dc-dc converter was designed to keep the dc-link voltage approximately constant. The behaviour of the dc-dc converters, which are connected to microsource and energy storage unit, around the steady state and worst-case scenarios was analysed, simulated and experimentally validated. Simulation and experimental results are compared. A current controller, based on instantaneous measured current, was implemented. This was designed to achieve good dynamic stiffness and command tracking properties. Furthermore a smooth grid connection method with the aid of the current controller is presented. The ability of the inverter to control the active and reactive power output was also analysed and verified with the aid of the simulation model and experimental set-up. Results corresponding to current controller, grid connection and power control are presented. The integrated system was simulated in EMTDC/PSCAD. The system response to the variations in the microsource and inverter output power variations was analysed. A smooth start-up method is shown which reduces the inrush current. Simulation results corresponding to different case studies and start-up transient are also included.

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Opportunities for enhancing the security and reliability of power supply as well as the utilization of renewable and efficient energy sources have generated major interest in Microgrids. A microgrid typically consists of interconnected loads, distributed generators (DG) and energy storages, and should be able to operate in parallel with the utility grid or as a power-island. The main focus of this thesis is on the transition between parallel and islanded operation of a microgrid. A literature review on existing microgrids was carried out. Based on the survey, a microgrid test system was implemented on PSCAD/EMTDC simulation program. The microgrid controls essential for the study and a load shedding scheme were designed and implemented. When the microgrid changes from parallel to islanded operation, its controls need to be changed. It was found that delays in microgrid control mode transition can impact the amount of load need to be shed to preserve the frequency stability and the power quality of the islanded microgrid. The importance of fast detection of islanding was therefore highlighted. The IEEE standard 1547.4-2011 recommends application of the existing DG synchronization criteria for microgrid synchronization. The adequacy of these criteria for synchronization of a microgrid with highly unbalanced loading was investigated. It was found that the required criteria can be met with the support of switched capacitors for voltage balancing, and a circuit breaker supervised by a synchro-check relay is sufficient to successfully reconnect an islanded microgrid back to the utility. In order to meet the requirement for fast detection of islanding of microgrids, new islanding detection technique was proposed. In the proposed scheme, Discrete Wavelet Transform was used to extract features from transient current and voltage signals, and then a Decision Tree classifier was employed to distinguish islanding events from other transients. Simulation based tests asserted that the proposed technique has a high reliability and fast response compared to most existing islanding detection methods. Also, the detection time of the proposed method was invariant with the power imbalance in the microgrid, and gave a zero non-detection-zone with any type of generator.

Opportunities for enhancing the security and reliability of power supply as well as the utilization of renewable and efficient energy sources have generated major interest in Microgrids. A microgrid typically consists of interconnected loads, distributed generators (DG) and energy storages, and should be able to operate in parallel with the utility grid or as a power-island. The main focus of this thesis is on the transition between parallel and islanded operation of a microgrid. A literature review on existing microgrids was carried out. Based on the survey, a microgrid test system was implemented on PSCAD/EMTDC simulation program. The microgrid controls essential for the study and a load shedding scheme were designed and implemented. When the microgrid changes from parallel to islanded operation, its controls need to be changed. It was found that delays in microgrid control mode transition can impact the amount of load need to be shed to preserve the frequency stability and the power quality of the islanded microgrid. The importance of fast detection of islanding was therefore highlighted. The IEEE standard 1547.4-2011 recommends application of the existing DG synchronization criteria for microgrid synchronization. The adequacy of these criteria for synchronization of a microgrid with highly unbalanced loading was investigated. It was found that the required criteria can be met with the support of switched capacitors for voltage balancing, and a circuit breaker supervised by a synchro-check relay is sufficient to successfully reconnect an islanded microgrid back to the utility. In order to meet the requirement for fast detection of islanding of microgrids, new islanding detection technique was proposed. In the proposed scheme, Discrete Wavelet Transform was used to extract features from transient current and voltage signals, and then a Decision Tree classifier was employed to distinguish islanding events from other transients. Simulation based tests asserted that the proposed technique has a high reliability and fast response compared to most existing islanding detection methods. Also, the detection time of the proposed method was invariant with the power imbalance in the microgrid, and gave a zero non-detection-zone with any type of generator.

Microgrid deployment in electric grids improves reliability, efficiency, and quality, as well as the overall sustainability and resiliency of the grid. Specifically, microgrids alleviate the effects of power outages. However, microgrid implementations impose additional challenges on power systems. Microgrid protection is one of the technical challenges implicit in the deployment of microgrids. These challenges occur as a result of the unique properties of microgrid networks in comparison to traditional electrical networks. Differential protection is a fast, selective, and sensitive technique. Additionally, it offers a viable solution to microgrid protection concerns. The differential zone protection scheme is a cost-effective variant of differential protection. To implement a differential zone protection scheme, the network must be split into different protection zones. The reliability of this protection scheme is dependent upon the number of protective zones developed. This thesis proposes a new differential zone protection scheme using a graph partitioning algorithm. A graph partitioning algorithm is used to partition the microgrid into multiple protective zones. The IEEE 13-node microgrid is used to demonstrate the proposed protection scheme. The protection scheme is validated with MATLAB Simulink, and its impact is simulated with DIgSILENT PowerFactory software. Additionally, a comprehensive comparison was made to a comparable differential zone protection scheme. / Master of Science / A microgrid is a group of connected distributed energy resources (DERs) with the loads to be served that acts as a local electrical network. In electric grids, microgrid implementation enhances grid reliability, efficiency, and quality, as well as the system's overall sustainability and resiliency. Microgrids mitigate the consequences of power disruptions. Microgrid solutions, on the other hand, bring extra obstacles to power systems. One of the technological issues inherent in the implementation of microgrids is microgrid protection. These difficulties arise as a result of microgrid networks' distinct characteristics as compared to standard electrical networks. Differential protection is a technique that is fast, selective, and sensitive. It also provides a feasible solution to microgrid protection problems. This protection scheme, on the other hand, is more expensive than others. The differential zone protection scheme is a cost-effective variation of differential protection that lowers protection scheme expenses while improving system reliability. The network must be divided into different protection zones in order to deploy a differential zone protection scheme. The number of protective zones generated determines the reliability of this protection method. Using a network partitioning technique, this thesis presents a new differential zone protection scheme. The microgrid is divided into various protection zones using a graph partitioning algorithm. The proposed protection scheme is demonstrated using the IEEE 13-node microgrid. MATLAB Simulink is used to validate the protection scheme, while DIgSILENT PowerFactory is used to simulate its impact. A comparison of a similar differential zone protection scheme was also done.

abstract: With the growing penetration of plug-in electric vehicles (PEVs), the impact of the PEV charging brought to the utility grid draws more and more attention. This thesis focused on the optimization of a home energy management system (HEMS) with the presence of PEVs. For a household microgrid with photovoltaic (PV) panels and PEVs, a HEMS using model predictive control (MPC) is designed to achieve the optimal PEV charging. Soft electric loads and an energy storage system (ESS) are also considered in the optimization of PEV charging in the MPC framework. The MPC is solved through mixed-integer linear programming (MILP) by considering the relationship of energy flows in the optimization problem. Through the simulation results, the performance of optimization results under various electricity price plans is evaluated. The influences of PV capacities on the optimization results of electricity cost are also discussed. Furthermore, the hardware development of a microgrid prototype is also described in this thesis. / Dissertation/Thesis / Masters Thesis Engineering 2018

The main focus of this PhD thesis is fundamental investigations into control techniques of inverter-based microgrids. It aims to develop new and improved control techniques to enhance performance and reliability. It focuses on the modelling, stability analysis and control design of parallel inverters in a microgrid. In inverter-based microgrids, the paralleled inverters need to work in both grid-connected mode and stand-alone mode and should be able to transfer seamlessly between the two modes. In grid-connected mode, the inverters control the amount of power injected into the grid. In stand-alone mode, however, the inverters control the island voltage while the output power is dictated by the load. This can be achieved using droop control. Inverters can have different power set-points during grid-connected mode but in stand-alone mode they all need their power set-points to be adjusted according to their power ratings. However, during sudden unintentional islanding (due to loss of mains), transient power can flow from inverters with high power set-points to inverters with low power set-points, which can raise the DC link voltage of the inverters causing them to shut down. This thesis investigates the transient circulating power between paralleled inverters during unintentional islanding and proposes a controller to limit it. The controller monitors the DC link voltage and adjusts the power set-point in proportion to the rise in the voltage. A small signal model of an island microgrid has been developed and used to design the controller. The model and the controller design have been validated by simulation and practical experimentation. The results confirmed the performance of the proposed controller for limiting the DC link voltage and supporting a seamless mode transfer. The limitation of the droop controller, that is utilized to achieve load sharing between parallel-operated inverters in island mode, has also been addressed. Unequal output impedances among the distribution generation (DG) units lead to the droop control being inaccurate, particularly in terms of reactive power sharing. Many methods reported in the literature adopt low speed communications to achieve efficient sharing. However, the loss of this communication could lead to inaccuracy or even instability. An improved reactive power-sharing controller is proposed in this thesis. It uses the voltage at the point of common coupling (PCC) to estimate the inductance value of the output impedance including the impedance of the interconnecting power cables and to readjust the voltage droop controller gain accordingly. In an island microgrid consisting of parallel-connected inverters, the interaction between an inverter’s output impedance (dominated by the inverter’s filter and voltage controller) and the impedance of the distribution network (dominated by the other paralleled inverters’ output impedances and the interconnecting power cables) might lead to instability. This thesis studies this phenomenon using root locus analysis. A controller based on the second derivative of the output capacitor voltage is proposed to enhance the stability of the system. Matlab simulation results are presented to confirm the validity of the theoretical analysis and the robustness of the proposed controller. A laboratory-scale microgrid consisting of two inverters and local load has been built for the experimental phase of the research work. A controller for a voltage source inverter is designed and implemented. A dSPACE unit has been used to realize the controller and monitor the system in real time with the aid of a host computer. Experimental results of the two voltage source inverters outputs are presented.

Ingeniero Civil Eléctrico / En el presente trabajo se propone un modelo de matemático de optimización maestro-esclavo entre un despacho económico (maestro), retroalimentado con un análisis de estabilidad de pequeña señal (esclavo). El modelo propuesto determina si una solución, determinada mediante una optimización algebraica (maestro), es estable (o no) mediante el cálculo de sus valores propios (esclavo) e itera hasta encontrar una solución que es tanto económica como estable. El método consiste en definir un problema maestro como etapa de optimización económica, caracterizada por un modelo de flujo optimo convencional (OPF, por su nombre en inglés: Optimal Power Flow), mientras que el problema esclavo o etapa de estabilidad es el encargado de determinar las ganancias de control droop (de cada unidad de generación conectada mediante un conversor) para estabilizar el despacho obtenido por el problema maestro. Si dicho despacho no puede ser estabilizado, entonces se itera insertando una restricción (o corte ) de factibilidad en el maestro hasta obtener una solución de mínimo costo (de forma local) que sea estable en pequeña señal. Se proponen dos versiones del modelo dependiendo si el maestro corresponde a un DC-OPF o uno AC-OPF. Dichas formulaciones son testeadas con micro-redes de dos y tres micro-fuentes. Esta tesis demuestra que estas formulaciones resuelven exitosamente el despacho coordinado (definiendo tanto la inyección de las unidades en potencia activa y reactiva, como las ganancias de los controladores) para sistemas de dos y tres micro-fuentes. Más aún, en el problema de dos micro-fuentes, la aproximación DC-OPF resulta completamente convexa por lo que la solución encontrada corresponde a un óptimo global.

Doctor of Philosophy / Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering / Sanjoy Das / The future energy grid is expected to operate in a decentralized fashion as a network of autonomous microgrids that are coordinated by a Distribution System Operator (DSO), which should allocate energy to them in an efficient manner. Each microgrid operating in either islanded or grid-connected mode may be considered to manage its own resources. This can take place through auctions with individual units of the microgrid as the agents. This research proposes efficient auction mechanisms for the energy grid, with is-landed and connected microgrids. The microgrid level auction is carried out by means of an intermediate agent called an aggregator. The individual consumer and producer units are modeled as selfish agents. With the microgrid in islanded mode, two aggregator-level auction classes are analyzed: (i) price-heterogeneous, and (ii) price homogeneous. Under the price heterogeneity paradigm, this research extends earlier work on the well-known, single-sided Kelly mechanism to double auctions. As in Kelly auctions, the proposed algorithm implements the bidding without using any agent level private infor-mation (i.e. generation capacity and utility functions). The proposed auction is shown to be an efficient mechanism that maximizes the social welfare, i.e. the sum of the utilities of all the agents. Furthermore, the research considers the situation where a subset of agents act as a coalition to redistribute the allocated energy and price using any other specific fairness criterion. The price homogeneous double auction algorithm proposed in this research ad-dresses the problem of price-anticipation, where each agent tries to influence the equilibri-um price of energy by placing strategic bids. As a result of this behavior, the auction’s efficiency is lowered. This research proposes a novel approach that is implemented by the aggregator, called virtual bidding, where the efficiency can be asymptotically maximized, even in the presence of price anticipatory bidders. Next, an auction mechanism for the energy grid, with multiple connected mi-crogrids is considered. A globally efficient bi-level auction algorithm is proposed. At the upper-level, the algorithm takes into account physical grid constraints in allocating energy to the microgrids. It is implemented by the DSO as a linear objective quadratic constraint problem that allows price heterogeneity across the aggregators. In parallel, each aggrega-tor implements its own lower-level price homogeneous auction with virtual bidding. The research concludes with a preliminary study on extending the DSO level auc-tion to multi-period day-ahead scheduling. It takes into account storage units and conven-tional generators that are present in the grid by formulating the auction as a mixed inte-ger linear programming problem.