2014 17th International Conference on Electrical Machines and Systems (ICEMS),Oct.

22-25, 2014, Hangzhou, China

Frequency Control of Islanded Microgrid

Based on Wind-PV-Diesel-Battery
Hybrid Energy Sources
Yiwei Ma1, 2*, Ping Yang1, 2, Yuewu Wang1, 2, Shaoxiong Zhou2, Peng He2
1

School of Electric Power, South China University of Technology, China

National-Local Joint Engineering Laboratory for Wind Power Control and Integration Technology, China
E-mail: whetnoray@163.com

Abstract Frequency control is a big challenge to an islanded

microgrid, resulting from load and those intermittent
microsources such as solar photovoltaic (PV) and wind turbine
(WT). A novel frequency control scheme is proposed to enhances
the anti frequency interference ability for islanded microgrid.
The hierarchical frequency control structure is designed
according to different net load fluctuation range and control
characteristics of battery storage system (BS) and diesel
generator (DE). The primary frequency regulation of battery
inverter is based on droop control strategy to improve the
transient frequency response, and a frequency error integral
regulation method of diesel generator is adopted for secondary
frequency regulation to regain a new steady frequency state.
Finally, simulation studies prove the effectiveness of the proposed
frequency control method.

I. INTRODUCTION
Islanded microgrid integrated renewable energy sources
with diesel generator and battery storage system is an efficient
structure to supply flexible, reliable and economic power
supply, which has been an effective approach to resolve
scattered power supply problem in those remote islands and
mountain villages [1]. Since different operation characteristics
and control strategies of various distributed generations (DG)
will impose an impact on frequency index to stable operation
of islanded microgrid, thus its frequency control strategy is one
of the crucial research issues [2].
Frequency fluctuation of islanded microgrid is resulted
from unbalance of generation and consumption, caused by
load and those intermittent renewable energy resources such as
WT and PV [3]. To resolve this problem, islanded microgrid is
usually equipped with a certain capacity of BS or DE for
supplying the frequency regulation capability [4, 5]. Thus,
recently it is a research hotspot how to coordinate and control
microsource with dynamic active power regulation ability to
enable frequency deviation within the specified range.
Reference [6] proposed a frequency control strategy of battery
storage system for islanded microgrid operation. Reference [7]
proposed a frequency control strategy of islanded microgrid
This work was supported by National High Technology Research and
Development Program of China (863 Program-2014AA052001), and Science
and Technology Planning Project of Guangdong Province, China
(2012B040303005).

based on virtual synchronous generator concept. Reference [8,

9] brought out a coordinate control method of diesel generator
and battery storage system to support frequency of islanded
microgrid, but it ignored detailed strategy of primary and
secondary frequency regulation.
Based on what has been discussed above, this paper
propose a novel two-layered frequency control strategy for
islanded microgrid based on wind-PV-diesel-battery hybrid
energy sources according to different amplitude of frequency
deviation in different time-scales. The primary frequency
control of battery storage system based on droop control is
presented to deal with those small amplitude, short cycle and
strong random system net load fluctuation. A frequency error
integral regulation of diesel generator is proposed to
implement no-error frequency regulation of secondary
frequency regulation to regain a new steady system frequency
state.
II. ISLANDED MICROGRID AND MICROSOURCES
A typical system structure of AC islanded microgrid based
on wind-PV-diesel-battery hybrid energy is presented in Fig.1,
which includes diesel generator (DE), wind generator (WT),
photovoltaic power generation system (PV) and battery storage
system (BS). Each distributed generation and system loads are
connected to the AC bus.

Fig.1. Islanded microgrid system

A. Wind turbine
Wind turbine generator (WT) is a common distributed
generation in islanded microgrid, and direct drive permanent

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978-1-4799-5162-8/14/$31.00 2014 IEEE

magnet wind turbine generator is usually typical WT, whose

wind turbine is directly connected an AC microgrid through
permanent magnet synchronous generator (PMSG), rectifier
and inverter successively, shows in Fig.2. In general, PQ
control strategy is applied in WT, due to its random and
intermittent characteristics of output power. WT can not afford
to system frequency regulation.
DC

AC

PMSG

Blades

Therefore, BS can works as an energy buffering device to improve the power fluctuation, and also combines with control
methods to improve power quality. Fig.5 shows a BS with
droop control strategy.

DC

AC

Rectifier

Inverter

Fig. 2. Control diagram of WT

B. Photovoltaic systems
Photovoltaic system (PV) is consisted of solar photovoltaic
array and grid-connected inverter, which can achieve the
maximum power point tracking (MPPT). Fig.3 shows a single
stage grid-connected structure. PV also uses PQ control
strategy in microgrid, due to its random and intermittent output
power. PV does not participate in the system frequency
regulation.

Fig.5. Control diagram of BS

III.

A. Frequency hierarchical control of islanded microgrid

In islanded microgrid, variations of active power of loads or
intermittent microsources (PV and WT) induce frequency
excursion. Thereby, the necessary dispatchable microsources
like BS and DE are adopted to regulate the frequency of
islanded microgrid, but they both have different advantages
and disadvantages of frequency regulation method. According
to the dynamic performances (e.g. overtaking or time
response) of frequency response [10,11], this paper proposed a
novel two-layered hierarchical frequency control structure of a
wind-PV-diesel-battery islanded microgrid, in Fig.6.

Fig. 3. Control diagram of PV

P = PDE PL _ net

C. Diesel generator
The control system of diesel generator (DE) includes two
major modules: the governor (GOV) for speed adjustment and
automatic voltage regulator (AVR) for output voltage
regulation, shows in Fig.4. Thereby, it is easy to achieve
synchronism parallel operation and automatic distribution of
active power and reactive power among multiple diesel
generators.
+

ref

FREQUENCY HIERARCHICAL CONTROL

= PDE ( PL PWT PPV )

Vref

V
Fig.6. Hierarchical frequency control structure

Fig.4. Control diagram of DE

D. Battery storage system

Battery storage system (BS) is one of basic storage de-vice,
which has unique characteristics of dual energy flow, high
power density, long cycle life and high storage efficiency.

As above mentioned, the hierarchical frequency control

structure of islanded microgrid has primary frequency
regulation and secondary frequency regulation imitated
traditional power system frequency control experience, and it
is separated according to different amplitude of frequency
deviation.
(1) Primary frequency regulation: droop frequency control is
generally applied for primary frequency regulation, and it can
be applied to diesel generator and battery storage system. It is
well-known that DE has minor inertia, which leads to slow

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frequency response and short-time frequency regulation

ability, and it is hard to deal with the fast, small and frequent
net-load fluctuation of islanded microgrid. BS inverter has
good time response to regulate the microgrid frequency in
microsecond level. Hence, the droop control of BS inverter is
the suitable solution to the primary frequency control, which
can restrain the frequency fluctuation effectively, but it is just
a differential regulation.
(2) Secondary frequency regulation: In order to regain the
rated value of microgrid frequency, it is necessary of
secondary frequency regulation to achieve the frequency noerror control through a frequency error integral regulation
method of diesel generator. When frequency deviation exceeds
the permitted range because of any big net load fluctuations
that that BS control system cannot, the no-error frequency
adjustment of DE with proportional integral (PI) controller is
performed to re-achieve a new balance of generation and
consumption and regain frequency stability of islanded
microgrid.
B. Primary frequency regulation of BS
This section describes the control system of BS directly
connected to the inverter. BS responds to the frequency
excursions by the droop characteristics, and the droop control
structure of battery inverter is presented in Fig.7.
f0

fm

KP

++

P0

Pref

Kp +

Pm

idref

Ki
s

Fig.7. Droop control structure

The output active power Pref of battery storage system is

regulated by the current component in d-axis, which is
calculated according to frequency deviation (f). The
frequency deviation is defined bigger than a regulation deadzone (Fig.8), in which scenario the battery storage cannot
involve in the regulation. This paper sets the range of the deadzone from 49.5( f 1 ) Hz to 50.5 Hz ( f 2 ).

P*

(2)
is the active output power reference of battery
K P = ( Pmax P0 ) ( f 0 f min )

Where Pref

inverter, P0 is the initial output power of battery inverter in the

steady-state, f m is the actual frequency of microgrid bus bar,

f 0 is the rated frequency of microgrid, K P is the droop

coefficient, Pmax is the maximum active output power, f min is
the minimum frequency.

C. Secondary frequency regulation of DE

The frequency regulation of DE is subjected to the governor
control module, which changes its active power output of the
prime motor according to the speed error signal. The control
principle of DE governor is shows in Fig.5.
Tmax

ref

1 + T1 s
1 + T2 s + T3 s 2

1
Js

1 + T4 s
1 + T5 s

f
Thereby, the improved P-f droop characteristic shows in
Eq.(1), and the droop coefficient K P is calculated in Eq.(2).
Pref = P0 + K P ( f 0 f m )

f m [ f 3 f 1] or [ f 2 f 4 ]

(1)

Tm

Te
Fig.9. Control diagram of GOV

In Fig.9 J denotes moment of inertia, Te is electromagnetic

torque of synchronous generator Tm is mechanical power
ref is the speed reference value, T1, T2 and T3 are the control
parameters of master controller respectively, K is the scale
factor of the governor, T4 and T5 are the control parameters of
the actuator, T6 is the time constant of the diesel generator, T7
is the integration time constant, Tmax and Tmin are the max and
min of the torque respectively, TD is the delay time constant of
the diesel generator.
The diesel generator is modeled as a synchronous generator,
and the transfer function of synchronous generator is
simplified as below:
G ( s)
(3)
Tm = [Te + ref ( Js)] 1
1 G1 ( s )
So, the speed expression is calculated in Eq.(4) and (5).
T Te
= m
Js
(4)
Te G1 ( s )
G1 ( s )
= (
+ 1) ref
Js 1 G1 ( s )
1 G1 ( s )

1 + T4 s 1
T1 s + 1
1
1 sTD
(5)
K
e
2
Js T2 s + T3 s + 1 1 + T5 s 1 + T6 s T7 s
According to above analysis, the power frequency
characteristic of diesel generator is controlled by a first order
transfer function of its governor controller. If the speed
regulation is integral control, the frequency characteristics is
no-error regulation, or it is a differential regulation. Hence, a
PI controller is adopted to achieve the no-error frequency
regulation of DE governor in Fig.10. K p denotes proportional
G1 ( s ) =

Fig.8. Droop characteristic curve of Battery storage system P-f

e sTD

Tmin

1
T7 s

1
1 + T6 s

coefficient, K i denotes integral coefficient.

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Kp +

Ki
s

Fig.10. PI control diagram

Diesel generator starts to track the system net-load

fluctuation and adjust its active power output to compensate
the active power shortage only if the system frequency is
moved in zone C- or C+, in which scenario the battery storage
cannot involve in the regulation.

respectively. Fig.12 (b) and Fig.13 (b) show the different

primary frequency response of BS and DE, which both take
droop control strategy. As it can be observed, the primary
frequency response speed of BS is very quickly compared to
those with DE, and the frequency deviation of BS is lower than
DE.

P (kW)

P*
dead-zone
Cf5

Bf3

A
f1

f0

B+
f2

C+
f4

(a) Load demand and output power of each DG

f6 f (Hz)

Fig.11. P-f characteristic of DE

The frequency deviation (f) is calculated from the

difference of active powers between consumption and
production (P) in Eq.(6). Kp denotes a proportional
coefficient, and Ki denotes an integral coefficient.
Ki
K

) = ( f 0 f m )( K p + i )
P = f ( K p +
(6)
s
s

f [ f f ] or [ f f ]
5
3
4
6
m
Please note that the speed regulation of only one set of
diesel generator can be changed as PI controller to achieve noerror frequency adjustment; however there are two or multiple
diesel generators in islanded microgrid. This way can resolve
any unexpected mistake of calculation, output power limits of
a certain DE or others when virtual droop frequency control is
used to coordinate and control multiple diesel generators [12].

(b) The primary frequency response

Fig.12. Frequency response for P=+100kW

IV. SIMULATION RESULT

The simulation work was done with PSCAD/EMTDC
software to verify the proposed frequency control method. The
system parameters of distributed generations and loads are
listed in Table 1.
(a) Load demand and output of each DG

Table 1 Parameters of DG & load

Wind turbine (WT)

Diesel generator (DE)

type

FD200

type

VPM625

rated power

200kW

rated power

500kW

Battery storage system(BS)

capacity

500kW2h

inverter

500kW

Maximum load

Photovoltaic systems (PV)

rated power

200kW

1100kW

Case 1The response of the primary frequency regulation

between BS and DE are studies. Fig.12 (a) and Fig.13 (a)
present various active powers of each DG and load, and their
net-load active power variations are +100kW and -100kW,

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(b) The primary frequency response

Fig.13. Frequency response for P=-100kW

Case 2The integrated frequency control scheme including

primary control of BS and secondary control of DE is studied.
Fig.14 plotted the variations of active power load during 1022s. The active power variations of BS and DE are presented
in Fig.15, in which BS and DE cut down their active power
outputs during 12s-14s, and increase their active power outputs
during 18s-20s to maintain the active power balance of
demand and supply. The variation of frequency also proves
this accordingly, shows in Fig.16.

the frequency stability against the small and fast active power
fluctuation of load and intermittent microsources (PV and
WT). Moreover, aiming at the bigger load fluctuation, the noerror frequency regulation of diesel generator with PI
controller is proposed to achieve a new active power balance
of generation and consumption and regain frequency stability
of islanded microgrid. Simulation results validate the
effectiveness of the proposed frequency control method for
islanded microgrid.
ACKNOWLEDGMENT
Yiwei Ma, Ping Yang and Yuewu Wang thanks the financial
supports from: the National High Technology Research and
Development Program (863 Program-2014AA052001), the
Science and Technology Planning Project of Guangdong
Province (2012B040303005). The valuable discussions with
Peng He and Shaoxiong Zhou are acknowledged.
REFERENCES
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Fig.14. Load demand curve

Fig.15. Output power of each DG

Fig.16. Frequency of islanded MG

According to the simulation results, the frequency control

method of this paper design has fast dynamic response speed,
and good stability, the frequency quality meet the national
power quality standards.
V.

CONCLUSION

This paper proposes a two-layered frequency control

strategy for islanded microgrid with battery storage and diesel
generator, according to different amplitude of frequency
deviations in different time-scales. The proposed droop control
of battery storage system can achieve the transient
characteristics of the primary frequency control and improve

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