IEEE Power & Energy Magazine - May/June 2021 - 4

editors' voice

Ning Lu and Steve Widergren

microgrid protection
rethinking reflexive action at the edge

Digital Object Identifier 10.1109/MPE.2021.3057947
Date of current version: 19 April 2021

ieee power & energy magazine

©SHUTTERSTOCK.COM/METAMORWORKS

OVER THE PAST TWO DECADES,
smart grid-related initiatives have directed
our gaze toward customers and the edge
of the system. Intelligent equipment and
processes now pervade the electric system.
They are dramatically affecting electricity
customer investments in smart equipment.
Initiatives are underway to reimagine distribution system operations. And this trend
is not stopping. While committed to developing issues on a diverse set of themes that
cover the power and energy industry landscape, keeping our readers abreast of the
latest developments in integrating and coordinating the operation of customer and
distribution system resources continues.
The microgrid concept represents a
collection of ideas for organizing operating principles and imagining new ways for
customer-managed systems to integrate
with the distribution system. The ideas
recognize a boundary of responsibility
between the utility electric power system
and a collection of resources managed
by the customer (or a surrogate). While
people continue to debate the definition
of a microgrid, it usually involves an integrated set of power-producing and powerconsuming resources. With full capability,
a microgrid can either run independent of
the regional power system (island mode)
or run synchronously with the power system (connected mode), and smoothly transition between these two modes.
The elegance of the concept lies with
agreements on codes and standards of
operation that ensure safe, coordinated
operation that designers can replicate in

a variety of situations. These agreements
recognize the different parties responsible
for operations on either side of the interconnection. While technical approaches
to achieve this coordination have been
well demonstrated, there still are areas
where experience and socialization of
ideas need to mature.
In response to power system disturbances, safety is job one. Minimizing
impacts to electric service follows close
behind. Whether faults occur in the microgrid or regional power system, ensuring the protection schemes on either side
of the interconnection respond properly
is critical to safely clear these disruptions
and minimize service interruptions.

In This Issue
A motivating factor for the microgrid concept is to improve resiliency for withstanding high-impact, low-probability events.

To do this, microgrids use operational
mechanisms that support the reliable operation of the microgrid footprint as well
as the electric grid infrastructure. The integration of a large amount of distributed
solar power and battery energy storage
systems is accelerating microgrid technology development. This breakthrough
technology aims to transform microgrid
islanding operation from a tentative, emergency option used during system faults
into a general solution for improving grid
reliability and resiliency in both normal
and abnormal situations. By smoothly
switching between grid-connected and
grid-disconnected modes, microgrids
can supply loads and support grid services as needed.
One of the major hurdles for interconnecting microgrids into the electric system
is the effective integration of microgrid
protection systems with the electric
may/june 2021

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IEEE Power & Energy Magazine - May/June 2021

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of IEEE Power & Energy Magazine - May/June 2021