A Modified Control Method for Grid Connected Multiple Rooftop Solar Power Plants

Abstract

This article proposes an enhanced control strategy for a microgrid consisting of multiple rooftop solar photovoltaic sources. These sources are of different power ratings and intermittent in nature. The microgrid is flexible to function either in islanded mode or in grid connected mode. It affects power management and hampers the power quality in microgrid. The proposed control scheme enhances the power quality of the microgrid by providing reactive power compensation to local loads. Thus, it reduces the burden on utility grid. The proposed control technique establishes a priority-based policy for reactive and active power compensation under local demand variance. A smooth and automated transition of microgrid between islanded and grid connected modes is achieved. This seamless transition of the system between two modes avoids the transient in the system. In islanded mode, the proposed control scheme ensures improved voltage regulation under dynamic load demand. It also ensures a minimum burden on the voltage source. Also, the proposed control scheme maintains the power factor of the system near to unity. The system performance is validated experimentally under a number of various operating conditions such as dynamic load variation, grid condition, automated transition, intermittent power generation in real time simulator.