A Review on Microgrid Protection Challenges and Approaches to Address Protection Issues

Abstract

Microgrid (MG), considered the future of power systems, has gained significant attention in the present time. MG's inherent capability of combining both AC and DC operations in a single frame. Its function is crucial in achieving a sustainable electricity supply and advances a decentralized power system approach. MG not only combines the benefits of both AC and DC but also incorporates distributed generations (DGs) and distributed renewable energy sources (DREs). However, the advancement of DGs and DREs with power electronics interfaces (PEIs), and smart loads (SLs) poses the dynamic nature of DGs and DREs such as bi-directional power flow and varying output, which has introduced certain protection challenges in MG maneuver. Therefore, this paper reviews the protection challenges in MG and critically addresses the assessment of existing protection schemes developed so far. It also categorizes the MG protection issues, including its components and faults, separately for both AC and DC MGs and analyzes the performance of measurement and protection techniques for MG protection strategy on the basis of operational modes AC and DC MGs.

Keywords

• Microgrid
• protection challenges
• protection schemes distributed generations
• distributed renewable energy sources
• power electronics interface
• smart loads