Enabling Technologies for Enhancing Power System Stability in the Presence of Converter-Interfaced Generators

Abstract

The growing attention to environmental issues is leading to an increasing integration of renewable energy sources into electrical grids. This integration process could contribute to power system decarbonization, supporting the diversification of primary energy sources and enhancing the security of energy supply, which is threatened by the uncertain costs of conventional energy sources. Despite these environmental and economical benefits, many technological and regulatory problems should be fixed in order to significantly increase the level of penetration of renewable power generators, which are connected to power transmission and distribution systems via power electronic interfaces. Indeed, these converter-interfaced generators (CIGs) perturb grid operation, especially those fueled by non-programmable energy sources (e.g., wind and solar generators), affecting the system stability and making power systems more vulnerable to dynamic perturbations. To face these issues, the conventional operating procedures based on pre-defined system conditions, which are currently adopted in power system operation tools, should be enhanced in order to allow the “online” solution of complex decision-making problems, providing power system operators with the necessary measures and alerts to promptly adjust the system. A comprehensive analysis of the most promising research directions and the main enabling technologies for addressing this complex issue is presented in this paper.

Keywords

• power system stability
• frequency stability
• rotor angle stability
• voltage stability
• power system inertia
• converter-interfaced generation