An Adaptive Setting Procedure for Multi-Source Microgrid Protection

Following the devolution of power generation, there has been a great number of increase in installing the generation units driven by renewable energy sources. Connection of these units into distribution networks provides several benefits to the utilities and customers. However, their connection to the main network creates several difficulties from the protection and control point of views, since they converts the radial distribution networks into microgrids. In order to overcome these problems, the protection and control schemes need to be reconsidered and improved. One of these improved schemes is the adaptive protection. In this approach, settings of overcurrent relays are automatically updated as the system conditions change. This paper deals with an adaptive protection scheme, which requires off-line analysis and reestimation of setting values for every network operation topology. Computer simulation studies used to analyze the performance of the proposed adaptive approach. These studies have shown that an adaptive setting procedure for over current relays is definitely required for a reliable protection and coordination of multi-source microgrids.