Chapter 31 - Power Electronics Applications in Smart Grid

Abstract

The term “smart grid” describes the transformation of conventional grid to a new power system that is developed with two-way transmission of power and communication signals. The main triggering factors of the smart grid evaluation are integration of distributed generation sources, improvement of microgrid infrastructures, and development of power electronics devices with increased connectivity capability. The microgrid is a power system that is built with distributed generation sources such as solar energy sources, wind power plants, fuel cells, energy storage system, and other similar microsources. The development of microgrid enables consumers to become producers in the same grid infrastructure that is connected to the utility grid with additional regulations. The improvement of microgrid and distributed generation brought individual generation and accelerated the improvements seen in power converters, and communication technologies integrated to power electronic devices are associated with industrial standards to meet the requirement of smart grid architecture. An overview of the smart grid infrastructure with communication technologies and power electronics applications is presented in this chapter. Moreover, applications of power electronics in smart generation systems, power converters used in wind power plants, and solar power plants are presented in detail. The smart grid applications of power converters are also introduced in this chapter where power electronic systems used in transmission and distribution domains were drawn. The protection and control applications of power electronic devices used in smart grid in the context of international standards and applications are presented in the final section.