Power Quality is the main problem in Renewable energy sources.

Nowadays there were Scarcity of non-

renewable resources and the requirement of consumers was fulfilled by the renewable energy resources. The
usage of renewable energy sources are less compared to other energy sources and the renewable energy also
causes PQ issues in grid. Some of the issues may be sag, swell, flicker, harmonic, interruptions and voltage
imbalance .This review shows what else the issues are caused due to the solar and wind energy while connected
to grid and how it can be improved, controllers, grids, power quality enhancement devices, power converters.

Power Quality Issues in Solar Energy

Power quality related problems are of most concern nowadays. Power quality issues related renewable energy
sources are listed below. It is necessary for Engineers, Technicians and system operators to become familiar with
power quality issues.

Voltage Mitigation

The high penetration of distributed solar generation challenges distribution system voltage management, not only
because its penetration reshapes the power flow in the distribution system, but also the majority of existing
voltage management methods, i.e., using online load tap changing (OLTC) transformer, voltage regulators (VRs),
shunt capacitors, cannot provide timely responses to the rapid fluctuation due to mechanical limitations. The
inability of managing voltage has caused solar generation spillage (or even complete shutdown of a distributed
solar farm) in industrial practice, which inevitably delays the development of a sustainable power system. It
causes voltage mitigation problem is PQ issue when solar energy connected to distributed system.

Voltage Sag, Swell and Flicker

A wide range of possible research directions have been identified in the general area of power quality. These
include issues such as direct calculation of time domain steady state solutions for systems containing
nonlinearities and electronically switched loads , error analysis of numerical integration methods used in time
domain simulations, efficient and accurate state estimation techniques for power quality applications, modeling of
nonlinear loads, and design of grounding systems.

On the measurement side, the measurement of harmonics, voltage sags and swells, flicker, surges, energy usage,
and changes in the frequency can be listed present existing power quality problems from two perspectives, one
looking at the disturbances generated at the utility side but affecting the customers, and the other looking at the
customer caused disturbances that also affect the utility side. While the acceptance of the revenue meter location
as the boundary between the customer and the utility is well established, this may not be the most natural
boundary with respect to the power quality considerations. Fault clearance times that lead to voltage sags
unacceptable to the customers, and time varying loads like arc furnaces or variable speed drives that pollute the
utility feeder with unwanted harmonics, are two such cases.

Most temporary faults, switching of power factor correction capacitor banks, large motor starting transients, or
the use of static var compensators may lead to power quality problems due to voltage sags, swells, flickers, surges
and interruptions that are initiated by these events.
Power quality issues in Wind energy

Wind power is a major success story in renewable energy. The issues caused by most popular power electronic
and machine in wind turbines are listed below.

Thermal loading

The grid requirements for the wind turbines especially the low voltage ride through (LVRT) ability during grid
faults are getting stricter. By using other multilevel converter topologies, the loading profile of power devices
during LVRT can be modified. The junction temperature of the most stressed devices in the 3LNPC, 3L-HB and
5L-HB topologies for wind.

In the wind turbines application, the reliability and power controllability are two of the most important
performances for the wind power converter. The designed converter should have the LVRT ride through
capability. It is becoming a trend that the wind turbines should not only withstand the grid faults, but also provide
up to 100% reactive current to help the faults recovery. These LVRT requirements may impose large thermal
stress to the wind power converter and thus reduce the reliability of the whole generation system.

Stability problem

Energy storage will have impact on electric grid in several other ways including stability. This work addresses the
impact of DG with storage on transient stability of the electric grid system. The test plan involved replacing
existing synchronous generators with SCIG and DFIG generators while adding battery energy storage. It was seen
that when the fixed speed turbine (SCIG) is introduced, there are certain fault conditions that produce instability.
There are also instances where the system becomes unstable as penetration of fixed speed turbine generation is
increased. All of these instances of instability have a characteristic of a superimposed high frequency oscillation
that occurs a number of seconds after application of the fault. When the variable speed turbines (DFIG) were
introduced into the system, all instances of transient disturbance produced a stable response. Additional tests were
then performed to attempt more instability, without success, by removing generation, as well as entire buses from
the system. The conclusion is made that the test system is very strong network that requires a very severe
disturbance to produce instability for the DFIG.

Voltage stability

Voltage stability drawback is sorted out with the help of flexible AC transmission system (FACTS) devices like
static synchronous compensator (STATCOM). A STATCOM is used to counter problems like transient stability
support in network including Squirrel Cage wind generator. While analysis the STATCOM results are better than
static var compensator (SVC) for the stable operation of SCIG. STATCOM improves the stability problem and so
help the wind generator system to remain in service throughout grid faults.

However, islanding of a connected IG disturbs its voltage and frequency, owing to lack or surplus of reactive and
active power. The most significant capable strategy to control a turbine received electrical power is used to
regulate the blade pitch angle. Blade pitch is analogous to the throttling valve in typical steam turbines, except
that its response is much quicker than that of steam turbines.
Electronic equipment and computing devices are used in all types of industrial processes. This has been pivotal in
making these processes more productive, efficient, and safe. However, this trend also makes manufacturing
processes and equipment more vulnerable to real-world power quality conditions.

Power quality is related to fluctuations in the electrical supply in the form of momentary interruptions, voltage
sags or swells, transients, harmonic distortion, electrical noise, and flickering lights, among others. The electrical
power grid is designed for delivering power reliably, namely maximizing power availability to customers.
However, power quality events are largely untracked, and as a result, can take out a process as many as 20 to 30
times a year, costing industrial customers millions of dollars. To minimize these costs, it is critical for industrial
customers to understand how power quality is impacting their system and how to mitigate its effects.

Sags
Voltage sags are an RMS voltage reduction by at least 10% of the nominal voltage that lasts between half a cycle and a minute. IEEE
1159, “Recommended Practice for Monitoring Electric Power Quality,” classifies sags as instantaneous (0.5 cycles to 30 cycles),
momentary (30 cycles to 3 seconds), and temporary (>3 seconds to 1 minute).In a study done by the Electric Power Research Institute
(EPRI), an average of 66 voltage sags was experienced by industrial customers per year.

What are the causes and effects of sags?

A common cause of sags for industrial customers is turning on large loads such as large motors. If using an across-the-line
motor starter, the current draw when turning on a motor can be six times or more of its normal running current. The large and
sudden current draw results in downstream voltage drops. Weather factors, such as lightning, wind, and ice, are also
significant contributors to voltage sags.

Often times, process controls use 120 VAC relays in the emergency stop circuit of control circuits. Sags can contribute up to
20 shutdowns a year by tripping these relays.

How do I mitigate sags?

Uninterruptible Power Supplies (UPS) is the most common solution for all types of RMS voltage variations (sags, swells,
undervoltages, overvoltages, and interruptions). A UPS uses stored energy in a battery to provide load power when the
normal power supply falls outside a defined voltage range.

If the sags a customer is experiencing are largely in the instantaneous or momentary classification, an alternative to a UPS is
an Electronic Sag Compensator. An electronic sag compensator uss a capacitor instead of a battery for energy storage. As a
result, electronic sag compensators are lower maintenance and have higher rated lifetimes. In addition, electronic sag
compensators are generally more lightweight.

However, electronic sag compensators don’t have the same ride-through capability as a UPS for longer duration sags.

Harmonics
Harmonics are a form of voltage or current waveform distortion. A harmonic refers to a component of a
waveform of a frequency that is a multiple of the fundamental, general 50 or 60Hz. For example, the third
harmonic for US electrical distribution systems would be 3 * 60Hz = 180 Hz. Harmonics are a relatively steady
state condition, unlike momentary conditions such as sags or transients.

What are the causes and effects of harmonics?

Harmonics are caused by non-linear loads in the electrical system, meaning that the loads draw non-sinusoidal
current from a sinusoidal voltage source. Examples of non-linear loads that produce harmonics are AC or DC
motor drives, electric arc furnaces, static VAR compensators, inverters, and switch-mode power supplies, such as
those found in computers, lighting ballasts, and industrial electronic gear. Industrial customers are increasingly
using drives for more precise motor control and to improve energy efficiency. Consequently, the potential for
greater harmonic distortion rises.

For example, the AC current at the input to a rectifier begins to resemble a square wave as opposed to a sine
wave. Dependent on the system impedances, corresponding voltage harmonics are generated as a result of current
harmonics. Variable frequency drives also produce harmonic content at the output of the inverter, seen by the
motor. Sometimes, interharmonics, which are non-multiple frequencies of the fundamental, can be present at the
input or the output of the drive.

The negative impact of harmonics may not be immediately evident, but over time can result in increased power
demand, system loss, and shorter equipment lifetimes.

How do I mitigate harmonic distortion?

Harmonic filters, passive or active, can be added to the system to suppress harmonic frequencies. Passive filters
are tuned to filter a specific frequency or group of frequencies. While this is a lower cost option, passive filters
have diminishing benefit for varying loads. Active filters measure the harmonic currents present in the system
and generate opposite harmonics to cancel those produced by the harmonic sources.

If the problems arising are a result of harmonic resonance, it could be worthwhile adding or subtracting a small
level of power factor correction capacitance to shift the overall system natural frequency.

Transients
Transients are sub-cycle disturbances in the AC waveform and can be categorized as either impulsive or
oscillatory. Transients are possibly the most damaging type of voltage disturbance.

What are the causes and effects of transients?

Impulsive transients are frequently referred to as surges. The most common cause of impulsive transients is
lightning strikes. Other causes include electrostatic discharge (ESD), poor grounding, switching of inductive
loads, switching of power factor correction capacitors, and utility fault clearing. This can result in a large amount
of energy transfer with very short rise and decay times.

An impulsive transient can damage a wide variety of equipment that’s not rated for such high voltage levels, with
computing equipment being especially vulnerable. Even if the amplitude of the transient isn’t very high, the rise
and fall rate of voltage can damage solid-state equipment. Moreover, repeated transients can have a cumulative
impact on electronic equipment, leading to failure in time with no evident cause.Consequently, the damage from
impulsive transients can lead to data loss and process faults.

How do I mitigate transients?

Equipment can be protected from impulsive transients by removing sources of potential ESD and using surge
suppression devices (SPD). SPDs use metal oxide varistors (MOV) to suppress impulsive transients, swells, and
other high voltage conditions, and can be used in conjunction with circuit breakers to help protect equipment. The
MOV has the ability to dissipate a large amount of the energy from an impulsive transient and clamps its voltage
to a level that doesn’t damage equipment. MOVs can degrade with usage, so it’s important for the SPD to have
the ability to break the circuit if the MOV is unable to function as expected.

Good wiring practices can also help reduce the impact of impulsive transients. This includes separating the power,
control, and communications wiring, as well as crossing different classes of circuits at 90 degree angles.

To help prevent oscillatory transients from impacting variable speed drive performance, a common solution is to
install line reactors or chokes that damp the oscillatory transient to a manageable level. High frequency filters can
also suppress oscillatory transients.

Conclusion

The vast majority of power quality issues experienced by industrial customers can be attributed to sags,
harmonics, and transients. However, several other power quality conditions can also disrupt processes and
equipment, such as swells, undervoltages, overvoltages, interruptions, DC offsets, notching, noise, voltage
fluctuations, and frequency variations. Solutions exist for all of these types of conditions, but the biggest step that
needs to be taken to reduce the capital and operational expenditures that are a direct result of power quality is to
have the capability to measure, detect, and visualize your power quality events and conditions.