Virtual Inertia Emulation using Commercial Off-The-Shelf Inverters

Abstract

Virtual inertia based control of renewable energy sources (RESs) helps to enhance the frequency stability of power systems. In this paper, a Control Area Network (CAN) communication-based method is demonstrated to emulate virtual inertia using commercial off-the-shelf inverters. This allows the currently installed systems to be retrofitted with virtual inertia in a cost-effective manner which would allow for higher RES penetration in power systems. The proof-of-concept is demonstrated using a Xantrex XW6048 hybrid inverter/charger and OPAL-RT real-time digital simulator. Results show that CAN-based communication can be an effective way to reduce frequency variations in the power system.