Microgrid Control: Concepts and Classification

The microgrids (MGs) as basic elements of future smart grids have an important role to increase the grid efficiency, reliability, and to satisfy the environmental issues. The MG is an interconnection of domestic distributed loads and low-voltage (LV) distributed energy sources, such as microturbines, wind turbines, photovoltaics (PV), and storage devices. In this chapter, in addition to the main MG concepts, a comprehensive review on various MG control loops and relevant standards are given with discussion on the challenges of MG controls. The required control loops in the MGs are classified into primary control, secondary control, global control, and central/emergency control classes. Local or internal controls appear in different forms depending on the type of microsources that can be addressed based on their technologies such as induction generators, synchronous generators, and power electronic inverters/converters.