Microgrid protection: A comprehensive review

Abstract

Amalgamation of distributed energy resources (DER) with power system is developing as an emerging power framework. It is ecumenically based on the paramount issues such as extensive use of technologies based on distributed energy resources, shortage of fossil fuel in future, liberalism of electrical service industries and custom vigilance on environmental impact of the conventional method of generating electrical power. These issues are transmuting the concept of conventional power generation globally and introduce incipient challenges in the generation and distribution system. The interconnection of distributed generators has initiated the concept of microgrid which is the assemblage of interconnected distributed generators, intermediate storage units and loads. The pragmatic application of microgrid faces numerous technical challenges. Scheming with a congruous protection scheme is one of the solemn challenges in a microgrid framework. The level of fault current in both the modes of operation, active distributed generation, two-way flow of power, increased value of impedance and quality of communication network are the profuse challenges in scheming an efficacious protection technique. The protection scheme must be reliable, selective, fast and susceptible in both the working modes. This paper presents the meticulous study of the architecture of AC microgrid, DC microgrid and hybrid microgrid along with the associated protection issues and solutions. It also provides the censorious assessment of available challenges in the protection of microgrid in both grid-tied & islanded mode and available protection strategies for both AC microgrid and DC microgrid. An all-inclusive review has been done in each section considering the latest developments along with the future progression in the field of microgrid protection.