Microgrid automation assisted by synchrophasors

Abstract

This paper presents synchrophasor deployment for microgrid automation applications. A microgrid, which is the main component of future smart grids, requires sophisticated measurement and control capabilities. Conventional RTU based automation approaches suffer from slow measurement update and lack of time-stamp values. In this study, a time-synchronized control approach is proposed for a deployable hardware-based microgrid involving a synchronous generator and an inverter based DER. Protection event analysis, islanding detection, re-synchronization, and online remote generation unit dispatch studies are realistically demonstrated in hardware in a laboratory based test-bed.