Islanded Microgrid Integrating Hybrid Power Generation and Energy Storage Unit

Abstract

This paper presents the hybrid power generating renewable sources combined with energy storage to function in stand-alone mode configuration. PMBLDCG (Permanent Magnet Brushless DC Generator) based pico-hydro variable power generation unit along with intermittent nature of photovoltaic source is developed. A battery energy storage is combined with the system to improve reliability while managing power balance between sources and loads. A voltage source converter is controlled in such a way that it provides harmonics mitigation, reactive power compensation and also regulates the voltage under perturbations in the generation and loads. PMBLDCG based pico-hydro power is rectified and boosted to a reference DC link voltage. Maximum PV array power is extracted using reliable perturb and observe MPPT (Maximum Power Point Tracking) technique. The performance of the system is evaluated using the MATLAB Simulink platform and developing a hardware prototype. In both steady state and dynamic conditions, system is found to be efficient and robust.