Harmonics and Mitigation Techniques Through Advanced Control in Grid-Connected Renewable Energy Sources: A Review

With more renewable energy based distributed generation (DG) units connected to utility power grids, deterioration of power quality at the point of common coupling (PCC) becomes a major concern. There are two types of harmonics associated with DG units, and together they may cause excessive harmonic distortion at the PCC. The first type of harmonics is generated by power electronic devices in DG units such as photovoltaic systems, which contains high-frequency harmonic components at multiples of the carrier frequency of the DG interfacing inverter. Such harmonics are first reviewed in this paper, and the potential operational effect at the system level due to LCL or LC filters installed at the inverter output to mitigate such harmonics are discussed. The second type of harmonics is generated by other nonlinear local, PCC, and utility loads in the system, which are common type of harmonics at multiples of the power grid frequency, 50/60 Hz. Harmonic mitigation for such harmonics achieved through advanced control of the DG interfacing inverter operated as a power quality conditioner are reviewed and summarized. This systematic review can facilitate better understanding of harmonics associated with renewable energy based DG units and provide guidelines on advanced control schemes to realize ancillary harmonic compensation service through DG interfacing inverters.