This paper discusses the challenges faced by electric power systems due to the increasing use of inverter-based renewable energy resources (IBRs) operating in grid-following mode (GFL) and the limited support they provide for the grid’s reliability and stability. With increased IBRs connected to the grid, electric utilities are increasingly requiring IBRs to behave like traditional grid-forming (GFM) synchronous generators to provide support for inertia, frequency, voltage, black start capability, and more. The paper focuses on developing GFM inverter technologies with L, LC, and LCL filters and investigates the performance of combined GFM and GFL inverters with different filtering mechanisms when supplying different types of loads. It also emphasizes achieving voltage controllability at the point of common coupling of the GFM with the rest of an AC system. EMT simulation is utilized to investigate the interaction of combined GFM and GFL inverters with different filtering mechanisms. The research results will assist electric utilities in ensuring the reliability and stability of electric power systems in the future.
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Tutorial on Dynamics and Control of Grid-Connected Power Electronics and Renewable Generation
Electrical power systems are transitioning from fuel-based generation to renewable generation and transmission interfaced by power electronics. This transition challenges standard power system modeling, analysis, and control paradigms across timescales from milliseconds to seasons. This tutorial focuses on frequency stability on timescales of milliseconds to seconds. We first review basic results for grid-following (GFL) and grid-forming (GFM) control of voltage source converters (VSCs), typical renewable generation, and high voltage direct current (HVdc) transmission. In this context, it becomes apparent that GFL and GFM control functions are needed to operate emerging power systems. However, combining GFL resources, GFM resources, and legacy generation on the same system results in highly complex dynamics that are a significant obstacle to stability analysis. The remainder of the tutorial provides an overview of recent developments in universal GFM controls that bridge the gap between GFL and GFM control and provide a pathway to a coherent control and analysis framework accounting for power generation, power conversion, and power transmission.
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- Award ID(s):
- 2143188
- NSF-PAR ID:
- 10496513
- Publisher / Repository:
- IEEE
- Date Published:
- Journal Name:
- IEEE Conference on Decision and Control
- Page Range / eLocation ID:
- 4018 to 4025
- Format(s):
- Medium: X
- Location:
- Singapore, Singapore
- Sponsoring Org:
- National Science Foundation
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