A Critical Review of Advanced Protection Devices in AC Microgrid

Protection is a crucial component of any power system that aims to deliver reliable, safe, and secure electricity of high quality and consistency. Creating a dependable protection system for an AC microgrid is challenging due to numerous practical considerations. In this work, several protection devices (PDs) in AC microgrids are systematically analyzed, with a focus on systems that employ electronically connected Distributed Energy Resources (DERs). This work employed several mathematical modeling equations to illustrate the challenges in microgrid protection associated with various operating modes. This study emphasizes the move toward intelligent and adaptive PDs, which offer enhanced fault isolation, real-time load balancing, fault detection, and system resilience. This research also underlines the usefulness of artificial intelligence (AI) in reducing the negative consequences of cyberattacks and cybersecurity challenges, especially those that jeopardize data integrity and confidentiality in microgrid PDs. Through an examination of pertinent standards and regulations, this paper explores how sophisticated communication and measurement methods might facilitate adaptive microgrid PDs that can update and modify relay settings automatically. The paper ends with several recommendations, highlighting the necessity of stronger cybersecurity measures and more reliable PDs to guarantee that the microgrid keeps playing a vital part in the shift to low-carbon energy.