Microgrid Protection Challenges and Mitigation Approaches–A Comprehensive Review

Microgrids gain popularity due to their economical and environmental benefits along with low power losses and smaller infrastructure. However, it has several operational challenges such as power quality, power system instability, reliability, and protection issues. Microgrid protection strategy is a prime issue for the reliable operation of the microgrid. The microgrid protection scheme must meet the essential conditions for grid-connected and islanded operational modes. This paper presents a comprehensive review and comparative analysis of protection schemes and their implementation challenges for different microgrid architectures with various operational requirements. The challenges associated with the implementation of microgrid protection schemes are identified and discussed in detail. Furthermore, various simulation studies have been conducted to demonstrate the microgrid protection challenges associated with different modes of operation. This paper presents key information to researchers and protection engineers to identify microgrid protection challenges and their mitigation approaches.