Grid-Forming Converters for Stability Issues in Future Power Grids

Shahid Aziz Khan, Mengqi Wang, Wencong Su, Guanliang Liu and Shivam Chaturvedi
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Shahid Aziz Khan: Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Michigan-Dearborn, Dearborn, MI 48128, USA
Mengqi Wang: Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Michigan-Dearborn, Dearborn, MI 48128, USA
Wencong Su: Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Michigan-Dearborn, Dearborn, MI 48128, USA
Guanliang Liu: Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Michigan-Dearborn, Dearborn, MI 48128, USA
Shivam Chaturvedi: Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Michigan-Dearborn, Dearborn, MI 48128, USA

Energies, 2022, vol. 15, issue 14, 1-18

Abstract: Historically, the power system has relied on synchronous generators (SGs) to provide inertia and maintain grid stability. However, because of the increased integration of power-electronics-interfaced renewable energy sources, the grid’s stability has been challenged in the last decade due to a lack of inertia. Currently, the system predominantly uses grid-following (GFL) converters, built on the assumption that inertial sources regulate the system stability. Such an assumption does not hold for the low-inertia grids of the future. Grid-forming (GFM) converters, which mimic the traditional synchronous machinery’s functionalities, have been identified as a potential solution to support the low-inertia grids. The performance analysis of GFM converters for small-signal instability can be found in the literature, but large-signal instability is still an open research question. Moreover, various topologies and configurations of GFM converters have been proposed. Still, no comparative study combining all GFC configurations from the perspective of large-signal stability issues can be found. This paper combines and compares all the existing GFM control schemes from the perspective of large-signal stability issues to pave the way for future research and development of GFM converters for large-signal stability analysis and stabilization of the future low-inertia grids.

Keywords: grid-forming converters; grid-following converters; small-signal stability; large-signal stability inertia; power grid; renewable energy (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q Q0 Q4 Q40 Q41 Q42 Q43 Q47 Q48 Q49 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (3)

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