Author : Parveen P Terang and Mini S. Thomas

This paper highlights the change over from a uni-direction to a bi-directional system and the issues which affect the grid with interconnection of distributed energy resources (DER). The types of DER’s, level of penetration and the power electronic interface all require a balance to ensure maximum benefit to the consumers with minimum possibility of malfunction of protective devices. The methods which render the DER grid independent or grid parallel are islanding methods, which are critical. Some of the technical challenges faced are due to the complications arising with aging grid infrastructure, involvement of responsive loads and integration of less-dispatchable distributed generation resources. These, along-with implications for a smart grid and requirements to be met with for interconnection have been discussed in the paper.

Keywords: Distributed generation, distributed energy resource, islanding, interconnection, microgrid, power systems power electronic interface, smart grid.

Article published in International Journal of Current Engineering and Technology, Vol.6, No.4 (Aug-2016)