Optimum Microgrid Planning and Operation for Improving Reliability and Power Quality: Review

In the last decades the advances in the network technology and the appearance of the renewable energy as primary sources have changed the current view of the power system into microgrids. Future power system is evolving in the form of microdrids. Microgrid concept is centered on matching operation and control of distributed generation sources with controllable loads and storage units. However, during planning stage, the microgrid should contain a high level of sustainability; provide acceptable levels of reliability, power quality, as well as efficient cost for operation. In island mode, the capacities of the distributed resources and storage elements have to meet the load size. The distributed generations can cause disturbance to voltage stability because of the reversal of power flow. The focus of the paper is to review the existing methods for planning microgrids with high penetration of use the renewable sources, which subsequently results in reducing the air pollution and enhancing power quality, reliability, flexibility and efficiency of the grid. In addition to a thorough, present the control system methods that can be ensured to improve the reliability of the grid with secure microgrid operation which meet acceptable levels of power quality indices.