Assessment of Harmonic Stability of Grid-connected Inverter and Harmonic Limits in IEC TS 61000-3-16

Increasing integration of grid-connected inverters can cause harmonic disturbances in distribution systems. In order to maintain power quality in a reasonable way, IEC TS 61000-3-16, which is a technical specification (TS) deals with the harmonic limits for the grid-connected inverter, was prescribed by IEC in November 2023. Because the dynamic characteristics of the current controller influence both the harmonic emissions and the harmonic stability of the inverter, complying with limits in the TS would affect the harmonic stability of the inverter.In this study, an electromagnetic transient simulation of an inverter following the measurement procedures defined in the TS is shown. The comparison between the simulation results and limits in the TS illustrate that the gain of the current controller can be constrained into a particular range for the purpose of compliance with the TS.