Renewable Source Protection Method for IBRs

This source-agnostic time domain distance relay uses only single-ended measurements to detect, classify, and locate any fault on the line it monitors while eliminating known weaknesses of distance relays. Recent advances in renewable energy technology allow several hundred megawatts of power to be in a single plant and connect to the electric grid through inverters. All major renewable resources, such as photovoltaic solar, wind, and battery storage, connect to the grid through inverters, and hence called inverter-based resources (IBRs). IBRs have a control scheme that dictates their fault response and various factors that can restrict their fault contributions, radically differing their response from the traditional synchronous source. These IBRs often lead to mistakes in operation when they feed distance relays. Current technologies aim to edit the control design of these IBRs, which is an impractical solution. In 2020, 20% of the United States electricity grid was composed of renewable electricity resources. According to market analysis, the renewable energy market expects to grow at a rate of 8.4% from 2020 to 2030 to reach USD 1,977.6 billion. As renewable resources become increasingly popular, there is an urgent need to develop a reliable and secure protection method to overcome the protection-issues associated with IBRs, the current large power connector. Clemson University researchers have developed a source-agnostic time domain distance relay that can be used in the presence of renewables and storage for reliable and secure protection of transmission and distribution systems.