Simulation of and controls design for a whole-feeder microgrid

As part of the Pacific Northwest Smart Grid Demonstration Project, investigators have been collaborating on the design of controls for a microgrid comprised of a single distribution feeder. One goal of this project has been to design a primary controller for the system that enables a “seamless” transition from on-grid to microgrid mode, and from microgrid control by the storage to shared control by the microgrid generators. This paper describes the design goals and a proposed controller using droop controls, and presents simulation results of a 1 MVA-scale testbed operated using this approach.