PNNL

Abstract

Increasing renewable penetration and grid modernization initiatives are having a significant impact on the operating and fault characteristics of distribution systems. As a result, protection systems need to account for the changing nuances in systems transient response to disturbances and the resulting voltage and/or current to ensure safe and reliable operation. This paper reviews the state of the art and evolving approaches for the protection of future energy systems. The approaches are categorized based on operating principle and variations in the underlying mathematical formulation to present a comprehensive overview on fault detection and recommendations for future research directions. The evolving nature of distribution systems, interconnection requirements and standards, and system automation is also discussed in view of the importance of higher fidelity power system models and resulting opportunities. Finally, the outcomes are summarized and discussed.