Component Standards for Stable Microgrids

This paper is motivated by the need to ensure fast microgrid stability. Modeling for purposes of establishing stability criterion and possible implementations are described. In particular, this paper proposes that highly heterogeneous microgrids comprising both conventional equipment and equipment based on rapidly emerging new technologies can be modeled as purely electric networks in order to provide intuitive insight into the issues of network stability. It is shown that the proposed model is valid for representing fast primary dynamics of diverse components (gensets, loads, and PVs), assuming that slower variables are regulated by the higher level controllers. Based on this modeling approach, an intuitively appealing criterion is introduced requiring that components or their combined representations must behave as closed-loop passive electrical circuits. Implementing this criterion is illustrated using a typical commercial feeder microgrid. Notably, these set the basis for standards that should be required for groups of components (subgrids) to ensure no fast instabilities in complex microgrids. Building the need for incrementally passive and monotonic characteristics into standards for network components may clarify the system level analysis and integration of microgrids.