Protection Principles for Future Microgrids

Realization of future low-voltage (LV) microgrids requires that all technical issues, such as power and energy balance, power quality and protection, are solved. One of the most crucial one is the protection of LV microgrid during normal and island operation. In this paper, protection issues of LV microgrids are presented and extensions to the novel LV-microgrid-protection concept has been developed based on simulations with PSCAD simulation software. Essential in the future-protection concept for LV microgrids will be the utilization of high speed, standard, e.g., IEC-61850-based communication to achieve fast, selective, and reliable operation protection.