Transient performance of a unified control system for the provision of ancillary services in low-voltage distribution networks

The advent of renewable energy sources (RESs) has posed several technical challenges related to the operation of modern power systems. These can be classified into two main categories: (a) problems at the power system level, and (b) local problems at the distribution network (DN). To solve these issues, there is a strong need for the development of innovative control schemes that can be employed by converter-based network assets, e.g., battery energy storage (BES) systems and distributed RES. In this context, a unified control system (UCS) for the provision of ancillary services (ASs) by distributed RES-BES systems within a multi-services perspective is introduced in this paper. The proposed UCS comprises different algorithms to provide ASs related to voltage regulation, voltage unbalance mitigation and frequency support. The UCS is implemented in 3-phase, 4-leg converters (3Ph4LCs) to ensure the provision of ASs in unbalanced DNs. In addition, at the dc side of the 3Ph4LC a series dc–dc converter for BES support allows the implementation of the proposed UCS in weak DNs. The transient operational performance of the proposed UCS is evaluated by conducting time-domain simulations. •A unified control system for the provision of ancillary services is introduced.•It employs voltage regulation, voltage unbalance mitigation and frequency support.•The proposed algorithms are integrated into a 3-phase, 4-leg converter.•A power oscillation damping technique is introduced to improve PLL performance.•Time-domain simulation results verify the performance of the proposed control system.