Novel Protection Method for Fully Inverter-Based Distribution System Microgrid

In recent years, the penetration of distributed generation has increased rapidly in the distribution system. These resources can help improve power system reliability and resiliency. Among distributed generation sources, inverter-based resources (e.g., solar, energy storage) are becoming increasingly popular, as they can provide distribution upgrade deferral, clean energy, backup power, short restoration time, and increased power quality. However, inverter-based distributed generation poses several challenges in distribution system protection such as fault detection, protection coordination between protective devices. This paper studies the effect of inverter-based distributed generation on distribution protection device operation for different scenarios and proposes a novel method for detecting faults for inverter-based distribution microgrids. Simulation results are performed on an IEEE 34 bus unbalanced test system using PSCAD to show the efficacy of the proposed method.