Evaluation of the generation and protection capabilities of a grid-connected microgrid

Abstract

Microgrids have been recognized for benefits to the electrical system such as improved reliability and reduced transmission costs and pollutant emissions. The study of microgrids makes it necessary to know and quantify the performance of technical aspects and identify characteristics to improve their performance. The paper proposes to evaluate the performance of generation and protection of a microgrid connected to the grid based on a procedure that includes the definition of indicators, the use of Power Factory software to obtain results and the weighting of indicators based on the DEMATEL technique. The laboratory microgrid studied is located at the Universidad Industrial de Santander and has three 1.5 kW photovoltaic systems and meets demands of 5 and 10 kWh/day. The results show that its generation and protection capacities have a high performance.