A Literature Review of the Control Challenges of Distributed Energy Resources Based on Microgrids (MGs): Past, Present and Future

Abstract

Different types of distributed generation (DG) units based on renewable and non-renewable energy sources can create a local energy system in microgrids. The widespread penetration of distributed energy resources (DERs) has affected many power system issues, such as the control and operation of these networks. For the optimal operation of microgrids, optimal energy planning and management in the new space governing the distribution system requires extensive research and analysis. Getting acquainted with the latest research about the evaluation of the problems and challenges in the design of control systems plays an important role in providing a guidance map for researchers to find the recent challenges and propose new solutions. This paper tried to list the challenges of distributed generation sources for MG applications, opportunities, and solutions. These challenges are reported in hierarchical control strategies and power-sharing categories. Therefore, Model Predictive Control (MPC)-based approaches are reviewed for different recent control levels and power sharing strategies in a comprehensive and simple point of view. The performance comparison of MPC methods together and different allocated fitness functions and implementation algorithms are dedicated. Another hand, the potential of MPC methods to control inverters for increasing the reliability of the grid, which this feature could not be achieved by using conventional strategies, while has not been investigated by researchers widely, is introduced in a short review. Therefore, this paper shows an intersection guidance map for readers to facilitate future research works in these exciting and undiscovered fields.