On-site PQ Measurements in a Real DC Micro-grid

Abstract

The increasing use of distributed energy generation and storage has led to local direct current (DC) trial grids as an extension to traditional AC distribution networks. Like AC grids, DC grids must fulfil Power Quality (PQ) limits to guarantee a reliable operation for an acceptable quality of supply. However, knowledge about PQ in public DC systems is lacking, as is the related metrology and standardisation. On-site measurements have not yet been performed with sufficiently high accuracy and sampling rate to capture fast phenomena and broadband disturbances to determine the nature of the PQ phenomena occurring in such grids. In this sense, this paper shows a small part of the Living Lab of Smartcity Málaga, a real low-voltage DC grid property of Endesa, where the authors will carry out on-site metrology-grade measurement of the key parameters of the DC grid by mid-2022. This will provide dynamic voltage and current signals in the grid which help the scientific community to know the existent DCPQ phenomena in the grids. To this purpose, different operating modes of the micro-grid will be tested during the duration of the measurement campaign.