A control strategy to emulate inertia through grid-following inverter

Abstract

The concern for the environment and the actual economic situation result in the growing search for renewable means of energy generation. However, renewable sources of electrical energy interfaced by inverters do not have the same inertia and damping that exists in synchronous machines from conventional energy systems, such as thermal. The lack of inertia resulting from the high level penetration of renewable energies can lead to increased frequency excursions and, consequently, to system instability. Among the various studies aimed at reducing this unwanted effect, there is a proposal to emulate inertia through inverters and their control [1]. In this study, it is suggested the development and application of a control strategy to emulate inertia through a grid-following inverter. After simulations in a system with solar photovoltaic energy generation connected to a grid with infinite bus, results show the effectiveness of inverter control with virtual inertia.