Virtual Oscillator Control for Enhanced Grid Stability in Inverter-Based Power Systems

In the context of increasing electricity demand, renewable energy sources such as solar and wind and energy storage systems are being progressively integrated into the power grid. High penetration of the traditional grid-following inverters (GFLI) can lead to instability and performance issues within the power system. Grid-forming inverter (GFMI) can generate voltage with a stable amplitude and frequency independently of the traditional power grid. This study utilizes a virtual oscillator controller (VOC) to enhance grid stability and performance in various modes, including grid-forming, grid-following, and battery charging. The paper presents the system configuration, modeling techniques, and the proposed VOC scheme using Andronov-Hopf Oscillator (AHO). Moreover, we introduce a synthetic virtual inertia method to enhance stability of the system. Simulations are conducted to evaluate the proposed controllers under critical scenarios.