D-PMU Based Distributed Voltage and Frequency Control for DERs in Islanded Microgrids

Seeking the improvement of frequency and voltage regulation of distributed energy resources (DERs) in islanded microgrids, this paper presents a novel distributed control paradigm based on distribution-level phasor measurement units (D-PMUs) monitoring. First, a novel strategy denoted synchrophasor aggregation is proposed. This strategy takes advantage of the high resolution, low latency and time-stamped synchronized measurements provided by D-PMUs to obtain a local foreknowledge of DERs steady-state operating condition during the system dynamics. Based on this information, novel measurement-based control parcels are developed to provide stabilizing and corrective adjustments of generators contribution. These controllers are able to effectively improve DERs dynamic performance, i.e. damping oscillations, overshoot and frequency nadir, while significantly speeding-up the realization of steady-state goals. Stability proof and steady-state analysis are developed. Comparative case-studies with state-of-art controllers, as well as with traditional SCADA systems, are conducted to evaluate the performance and robustness of the proposed controller under different scenarios, including: loading variation, communication failure, loss of generation, and plug-and-play capacity. Results showcase the proposed controller ability to significantly improve islanded microgrid regulation.