Power Quality in Renewable Energy Microgrids Applications with Energy Storage Technologies: Issues, Challenges and Mitigations

Abstract

Nowadays, the electric power distribution system is undergoing a transformation. The new face of the electrical grid of the future is composed of digital technologies, renewable sources and intelligent grids of distributed generation. As we move towards the electrical grid of the future, microgrids and distributed generation systems become more important, since they are able to unify small-scale and flexible generation to clean energy and intelligent controls. The microgrids play an important role in marking electrical grids more robust in the face of disturbances, increasing their resilience. Although the microgrid concept continues in discussion in technical circles, it can be defined as an aggregation of electrical elements in low generation voltage, storage and loads (users) which are grouped in a certain bounded geographical area. The issues of a microgrid integrated with energy storage technologies has gained increasing interest and popularity worldwide as these technologies provide the reliability and availability that are required for proper operation in the system. Actual studies show that the implementation of energy storage technologies in a microgrid improves transients, capacity, increases instantaneous power and allows the introduction of renewable energy systems. However, there are still certain unsolved problems in power quality terms. This article clearly describes those problems generated by each storage technology foe microgrids applications. All the ideas in this review contribute significantly to the growing effort towards developing a cost-effective and efficient energy storage technology model with a long-life cycle for sustainable implementation in microgrids.