Reactive power support capabilities of nonsynchronous interconnection systems in microgrid applications

This paper presents the capabilities and benefits of reactive power support of the nonsynchronous interconnection system, “GridLink”, in microgrid applications. This equipment provides grid interconnection using a back to back converter. Particularly, it also provides ancillary services including reactive power, spinning reserve for frequency regulation, fault mitigation, and aids in black start for generators. Since GridLink facilitates bidirectional power flow, it can support ancillary services for microgrid side generators and loads, and utility grid side. In addition, the dynamic response of GridLink is faster than that of a synchronous generator, so that it has fewer constraints with respect to operation conditions. In this paper, the benefits of the GridLink, are described. These benefits are energy efficiency and procurement of reactive power capacity of microgrid. Cost savings result from these benefits in terms of variable operation and maintenance (O&M) cost. Furthermore, voltage stability of microgrid will be enhanced by supplying reactive power via GridLink. The reactive power support capabilities of GridLink, are verified using MATLAB/Simulink simulation.