Engineering topics
Publications and source records attributed to Ropp, Michael.
Systems and methods for identifying an island condition in a power distribution system and disconnecting distributed generators in the case of islanding. The systems and methods are used to enable reliable detection of island formation with high false-trip immunity, for any combination of distributed energy resources, and for distributed energy resources using grid support functions.
As utility interconnected photovoltaic systems (PV) become integrated into the electrical power system (EPS) at an increasing rate, utilities and regulators have become concerned about the potential for increased voltage and frequency deviations as well as EPS reliability and resiliency. These concerns have initiated the need to amend the utility interconnection standard to allow advanced inverter control functionalities that provide: (1) reactive power control for voltage support, (2) real (active) power control for frequency support and (3) voltage and frequency ride- through for bulk system support. The new real and reactive power modulation are intended to reduce EPS voltage and frequency deviations by mimicking the droop and excitation controls of conventional generation. The new ride-through capabilities are needed to prevent a large quantity of generation from autonomously de-energizing or disconnecting in response to a voltage or frequency deviation. These changes, however, may have the potential to interfere with autonomous anti-islanding, especially when multiple inverters from different vendors are co-located on one bus. This report presents results from an investigation of multi-inverter autonomous anti- islanding with advanced functions, and the development of a means to mitigate adverse interaction between the two.
Abstract not provided.
Abstract not provided.
This paper investigates the impact of load rejection over-voltage (LRO) from commercially available grid-tied photovoltaic (PV) solar inverters. LRO can occur when a local feeder or breaker opens and the power output from a distributed energy resource exceeds the load power. Simplified models of current controlled inverters can over-predict over-voltage magnitudes, thus it is useful to quantify testing. The load rejection event was replicated using a hardware testbed at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), and a set of commercially available PV inverters was tested to quantify the impact of LRO for a range of generation-to-load ratios. The magnitude and duration of the over-voltage events are reported in this paper along with a discussion of characteristic inverter output behavior. The results for the inverters under test showed that maximum over-voltage magnitudes were less than 200 percent of nominal voltage, and much lower in many test cases. These research results are important because utilities that interconnect inverter-based DER need to understand their characteristics under abnormal grid conditions.
Abstract not provided.
In 2011, EPRI began a four-year effort under the Department of Energy (DOE) SunShot Initiative Solar Energy Grid Integration Systems - Advanced Concepts (SEGIS-AC) to demonstrate smart grid ready inverters with utility communication. The objective of the project was to successfully implement and demonstrate effective utilization of inverters with grid support functionality to capture the full value of distributed photovoltaic (PV). The project leveraged ongoing investments and expanded PV inverter capabilities, to enable grid operators to better utilize these grid assets. Developing and implementing key elements of PV inverter grid support capabilities will increase the distribution system’s capacity for higher penetration levels of PV, while reducing the cost. The project team included EPRI, Yaskawa-Solectria Solar, Spirae, BPL Global, DTE Energy, National Grid, Pepco, EDD, NPPT and NREL. The project was divided into three phases: development, deployment, and demonstration. Within each phase, the key areas included: head-end communications for Distributed Energy Resources (DER) at the utility operations center; methods for coordinating DER with existing distribution equipment; back-end PV plant master controller; and inverters with smart-grid functionality. Four demonstration sites were chosen in three regions of the United States with different types of utility operating systems and implementations of utility-scale PV inverters. This report summarizes the project and findings from field demonstration at three utility sites.
Increasing the penetration of distributed renewable sources, including photovoltaic (PV) generators, poses technical challenges for grid management. The grid has been optimized over decades to rely on large centralized power plants with well-established feedback controls. Conventional generators provide relatively constant dispatchable power and help to regulate both voltage and frequency. In contrast, photovoltaic (PV) power is variable, is only as predictable as the weather, and provides no control action. Thus, as conventional generation is displaced by PV power, utility operation stake holders are concerned about managing fluctuations in grid voltage and frequency. Furthermore, since the operation of these distributed resources are bound by certain rules that require they stop delivering power when measured voltage or frequency deviate from the nominal operating point, there are also concerns that a single grid event may cause a large fraction of generation to turn off, triggering a black out or break-up of an electric power system.
Abstract not provided.
Abstract not provided.
Abstract not provided.
Abstract not provided.
The high penetration of utility interconnected photovoltaic (PV) systems is causing heightened concern over the effect that variable renewable generation will have on the electrical power system (EPS). These concerns have initiated the need to amend the utility interconnection standard to allow advanced inverter control functionalities that provide: (1) reactive power control for voltage support, (2) real power control for frequency support and (3) better tolerance of grid disturbances. These capabilities are aimed at minimizing the negative impact distributed PV systems may have on EPS voltage and frequency. Unfortunately, these advanced control functions may interfere with island detection schemes, and further development of advanced inverter functions requires a study of the effect of advanced functions on the efficacy of antiislanding schemes employed in industry. This report summarizes the analytical, simulation and experimental work to study interactions between advanced inverter functions and anti-islanding schemes being employed in distributed PV systems.
Abstract not provided.
Abstract not provided.
Initiated in 2008, the Solar Energy Grid Integration Systems (SEGIS) program is a partnership involving the U.S. DOE, Sandia National Laboratories, private sector companies, electric utilities, and universities. Projects supported under the program have focused on the complete-system development of solar technologies, with the dual goal of expanding utility-scale penetration and addressing new challenges of connecting large-scale solar installations in higher penetrations to the electric grid. The Florida Solar Energy Center (FSEC), its partners, and Sandia National Laboratories have successfully collaborated to complete the work under the third and final stage of the SEGIS initiative. The SEGIS program was a three-year, three-stage project that include conceptual design and market analysis in Stage 1, prototype development and testing in Stage 2, and moving toward commercialization in Stage 3. Under this program, the FSEC SEGIS team developed a comprehensive vision that has guided technology development that sets one methodology for merging photovoltaic (PV) and smart-grid technologies. The FSEC team's objective in the SEGIS project is to remove barriers to large-scale general integration of PV and to enhance the value proposition of photovoltaic energy by enabling PV to act as much as possible as if it were at the very least equivalent to a conventional utility power plant. It was immediately apparent that the advanced power electronics of these advanced inverters will go far beyond conventional power plants, making high penetrations of PV not just acceptable, but desirable. This report summarizes a three-year effort to develop, validate and commercialize Grid-Smart Inverters for wider photovoltaic utilization, particularly in the utility sector.