Non-intrusive Enforcement of Decentralized Stability Protocol for IBRs in AC Microgrids

Abstract: This paper presents decentralized, passivity-based stability protocol for inverter-based resources (IBRs) in AC microgrids and a non-intrusive approach that enforces the protocol. By "non-intrusive" we mean that the approach does not require reprogramming IBRs' controllers to enforce the stability protocol. Implementing the approach only requires very minimal information of IBR dynamics, and sharing such information with the non-IBR-manufacturer parties does not cause any concerns on intellectual property privacy. Enforcing the protocol allows for plug-and-play operation of IBRs, while maintaining microgrid stability. The proposed method is tested by simulating two networked microgrids with tie lines and two IBRs modeled in the electromagnetic transient (EMT) time scale. Simulations show that oscillations with increasing amplitudes can occur, when two stable AC microgrids are networked. Simulations also suggest that the proposed approach can mitigate such a system-level symptom by changing less than 2 percent of energy produced by IBRs.