2016 International Conference on Manufacturing Construction and Energy Engineering (MCEE)

ISBN: 978-1-60595-374-8

An Overview on Operation and Control of

Microgrid
XueSong Zhou, Tie Guo and YouJie Ma

ABSTRACT
A microgrid is a complex network with different distributed generators (DG)
and loads operating to provide electrical energy for local loads. It can operate in
grid-connected or islanded mode, which has the ability to enhance the reliability and
stability of electrical energy supply. Most of micro sources in a microgrid are
interfaced through power electronic converters. It is an important task for different
types of micro sources to be connected and form a microgrid. A lot of control
strategies are used in microgrid to achieve stable and reliable operation and smooth
switching between two operation modes.
KEYWORDS Microgrid, Inverter Control, Smooth Switch

1. INTRODUCTION
The microgrid concept assumes a cluster of loads and micro sources operating as
a single controllable system that provides both power and heat to its local area, e.g.,
as [1]. This concept provides a new paradigm for defining the operation of
distributed generation. To the customer, the microgrid can be designed to meet their
special needs; such as, enhance local reliability, reduce feeder losses, support local
voltage, provide increased efficiency through use waste heat, voltage sag correction
or provide uninterruptible power supply functions to name a few. To the utility, the
microgrid can be thought of as a controlled unit of the power system. For example
this unit could be controlled as a single dispatchable load, which can respond in
seconds to meet the needs of the transmission system, e.g., as [2].
There is no general agreement on either the best microgrid architecture or
control techniques that should be used until now. This paper summarizes various
control approaches and presents an overview on operation and control of microgrid.
_______________________
Xuesong Zhou, Tie Guo, Youjie Ma, Tianjin University of Technology, 391, Binshui Xidao,
Xiqing District, Tianjin, 300384, China

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2. THE STRUCTURE OF MICROGRID

The CERTS of the US is the most famous institutions of microgrid research, it

first proposed the concept of microgrid in the white paper called microgrid concept
written for the DOE and the California Energy Commission, e.g., as [3]. It mainly
consists of loads and small micro sources based on power electronic technology and
the capacity of which is less than 500 kW (see Figure 1). This concept has been
successfully tested in the laboratory of the University of Wisconsin.

13.2 kV/
PoC 480V
CI
Power
2 electronics DG
Interface
Main Grid 1
Energy
Storage Unit

3 Power
Power
electronics DG
Interface
electronics DG
Interface

Energy
Storage Unit
Energy
Storage Unit
4
M

Electric Motor
1,2,3,4-Variable Impedance Load, Peak Value-95kW

Figure 1. The structure of CERT microgrid.

3. THE CONTROL OF MICROGRID INVERTER

Now, there are three microgrid inverter control strategies: they are PQ control,
V/F control and droop control.

3.1 PQ Control

The main purpose of using PQ control is to make distributed energy sources

output specified active and reactive power according to reference, namely when the
frequency and voltage of AC bus with which inverter connects change within a
certain range, the active and reactive power of distributed energy sources remain the
same (see Figure 2), e.g., as [4].
f V
fmax B Vmax B
f0 A V0 A
fmin C Vmin C

0 Pref P 0 Qref Q
Figure 2. Schematic diagram of PQ control.

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 When microgrid bus bar frequency changes within a allowed range (fmin ≤ f ≤
fmax), the active power of inverter will keep at the given reference value Pref; When
microgrid bus bar voltage changes within a allowed range (Vmin ≤ V ≤ Vmax), the
reactive power of inverter will keep at the given reference value Qref.

3.2 V/F Control

The purpose of using V/F control is that no matter the inverter power how to
change, the amplitude and frequency of output voltage remain the same, the inverter
of V/F control can provide voltage and frequency support for microgrid during
islanded operation, and has certain character of following load power (see Figure 3).
f(Hz) V(pu)
S2 1.10
S1 C A B 1.05 C A B
S0 1.0

0 P1 P2 P3 P 0 Q1 Q2 Q3 Q
Figure 3. Schematic diagram of V/F control.

3.3 Droop Control

Droop control controls inverters by simulating synchronous generator droop

characteristic of traditional power system.
f V
A A
f0 V0
B B
f1 V1
m n

0 P0 P1 P 0 Q0 Q1 Q
Figure 4. Schematic diagram of droop control.

There is a linear relationship between the active power of inverter output and
frequency, so does the reactive power and voltage (see Figure 4). When active power
is P0 and reactive power is Q0, voltage frequency of inverter is f0, voltage amplitude
is V0, namely inverter operates at the rated point of A; When the active power is P1
and reactive power is Q1, voltage frequency of inverter is f1, voltage amplitude is V1,
namely inverter operates at the rated point of B; It is observed that when the active
and reactive power change, the voltage frequency and amplitude will change linearly
according to droop character line, e.g., as [5].

4. THE SMOOTH SWITCHING OF MICROGRID

Because there are grid connected and islanded two operation modes in microgrid,
its interface inverter as a basic component unit of microgrid must have the ability to

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operate steadily during two operation modes and smooth switch between two
operation modes.
Paper [6] shows that the wind power and PV power of microgrid use PQ current
mode control; its interface inverter is equivalent to a controlled current source.
During grid connected operation, its output voltage is forced to grid voltage, grid
connected current and grid voltage can be synchronous by PLL technology, but when
microgrid switches to islanded operation, due to lack of support of grid voltage and
frequency, the inverter of PQ current mode control can not operate alone, there must
be other units with stable voltage and frequency to provide frequency and voltage
support for microgrid.
Paper [7] puts forward that storage battery is connected to microgrid by bi-
directional inverter of V/F control, its interface inverter of V/F control is equivalent
to a controllable voltage source, bi-directional inverter maintains the power balance
of microgrid by charging and discharging storage battery, further voltage and
frequency of microgrid are maintained, but V/F control is not suitable for grid
connected operation.
So paper [8] presents a inverter of dual modes operation (see Figure 5). During
grid connected operation it uses PQ current mode control, grid connected current and
grid voltage can be synchronous by three-phase SPLL technology, and gird
connected active and reactive power are realized decoupling control by decoupling
control of active and reactive power current. During islanded operation, because
microgrid loses the support of grid, inverter must afford the regulation task of voltage
and frequency, namely after islanded operation, inverter uses V/F voltage mode
control, thus it supports the voltage of microgrid and ensures continuous power
supply of local load.

Lf PCC

Iabc Uabc Large

grid
Cf abc abc
dq dq

V/F Id Iq Ud Uq
controller Power
SVPWM
PQ calculation
modulation
controller
Figure 5. Dual mode operation inverter structure of PQ-V/F control.

Obviously, it meets the demand of inverter dual modes operation to combine PQ

and V/F control together, but when operation mode needs to be switched, inverter
needs to switch between current control and voltage control, there is a risk of switch
failure. Especially when unplanned islanded operation happens, if inverter can not
detect the islanding in time and the control strategy fails to change to V/F voltage
mode control from PQ current mode control, microgrid voltage will be out of control,

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this kind of dual mode control has a higher requirement of real time to dynamic
switching process.
So from the view of reliable and smooth switching of microgrid operation mode,
during islanded operation, microgrid inverter of voltage mode control is used, during
grid connected operation, voltage mode control is better to be used, in order to keep
the continuity of control strategies.
Paper [9] introduces a dual mode operation inverter of droop control (see Figure
6). During islanded and grid connected operation inverter uses droop control, control
strategies do not need to be switched when operation mode is switched, the continuity
of control strategies is in favor of smooth switching of operation mode.
Lf PCC

Iabc Uabc Large

grid
Cf abc abc
dq dq

Id Iq Ud Uq
SVPWM Droop Power
modulation controller calculation
Figure 6. Dual mode operation inverter structure of droop control.

For the traditional droop control strategy of the microgrid, it is difficult to adjust
the control parameters of the strategy, and it is also affected greatly by the grid
voltage and load fluctuation. To address the problem, paper [10] presents a droop
control strategy of microgrid based on the technology of active disturbance rejection
control (ADRC), which can maintain the stable operation of microgrid under islanded
mode and grid-connected mode (see Figure 7).

U1 Lf Z1n U1f U2f

Udc A
B I1
C U1n
I1f
Icf R feeder
f
Z
Cf

SVPWM N power
calculation
double loop Udref P Q
voltage Pn
control droop
based on formation
Uqref control Qn
ADRC f0 v0

Figure 7. Droop control structure based on ADRC.

The structure of the ADRC has strong anti-interference ability, it can suppress
the fluctuation of parameters and restrain the uncertain disturbance of the grid
effectively, and the design method is also simple. The simulation reveals that the
control strategy can maintain power balance in microgrid effectively when load is
changing, keep the microgrid voltage and frequency constant, and play a supporting
role in the microgrid.

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 Microgrid has the ability to operate in islanded and grid connected modes; this is
an important advantage of microgrid compared with traditional distributed generation
technology, the smooth switching of operation mode is a basic requirement of safe
and stable operation. Inverter is a basic component unit of microgrid, it is a important
condition for safe and smooth operation of microgrid to control inverter well.

5. CONCLUSION

Microgrids, with their coordinated operation of micro sources and loads, have
the potential to be significantly easier for the distribution network operator to manage
than a large number of individually connected micro-generators. This becomes
particularly important once the micro sources start to contribute to the operation of
the power system. As a microgrid which can operate in both grid connected and
islanded mode, it can act as benign power source for the system, and increase the
reliability of power supply to high value loads and maintain the power quality of
energy supplies.
The various techniques that have been investigated for operation and control of
microgrids have been reviewed. More advanced and practical control methods could
be applied to control method of microgrid inverter so that smooth switching of
microgrid can be easily achieved. The control method of microgrid inverters and
smooth switching are very important for microgrid to operate stably and efficiently,
and they are researched extensively and deeply.

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

The authors would like to thank the reviewers for their very helpful comments
and suggestions which have improved the presentation of the paper. The work of Tie
Guo was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (50877053)
and Tianjin Natural Science Foundation of China (09JCYBJC07100).

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