Islanding protection of active distribution networks with renewable distributed generators: A comprehensive survey

Anti-islanding protection schemes currently enforce the renewable distributed generators (RDGs) to disconnect immediately and stop generation for grid faults through loss of grid (LOG) protection system. This greatly reduces the benefits of RDG deployment. For preventing disconnection of RDGs during LOG, several islanding operation, control and protection schemes are being developed. Their main objectives are to detect LOG and disconnect the RDGs from the utility. This allows the RDGs to operate as power islands suitable for maintaining uninterruptible power supply to critical loads. A major challenge for the islanding operation and control schemes is the protection coordination of distribution systems with bi-directional flows of fault current. This is unlike the conventional overcurrent protection for radial systems with unidirectional flow of fault current. This paper presents a comprehensive survey of various islanding protection schemes that are being developed, tested and validated through extensive research activities across the globe. The present trends of research in islanding operation of RDGs are also detailed in this paper.