A Modular Small-Signal Analysis Framework for Inverter Penetrated Power Grids: Measurement, Assembling, Aggregation, and Stability Assessment

Abstract: Unprecedented dynamic phenomena may appear in power grids due to higher and higher penetration of inverter-based resources (IBR), e.g., wind and solar photovoltaic (PV). A major challenge in dynamic modeling and analysis is that unlike synchronous generators, whose analytical models are well studied and known to system planners, inverter models are proprietary information with black box models provided to utilities. Thus, measurement based characterization of IBR is a popular approach to find frequency-domain response of an IBR. The resulting admittances are essentially small-signal current/voltage relationship in frequency domain. Integrating admittances for grid dynamic modeling and analysis requires a new framework, namely modular small-signal analysis framework. In this visionary paper, we examine the current state-of-the-art of dynamic modeling and analysis of power grids with IBR, including inverter admittance characterization, the procedure of component assembling and aggregation, and stability assessment. We push forward a computing efficient modular modeling and analysis framework via four visions: (i) efficient and accurate admittance model characterization via model building and time-domain responses, (ii) accurate assembling of components, (iii) efficient aggregation, and (iv) stability assessment relying on network admittance matrices. Challenges of admittance-based modular analysis are demonstrated using examples and techniques to tackle those challenges are pointed out in this visionary paper.