Experimental Validation of Active Filter Functionality for Distributed Photovoltaic Farms

Power electronics-interfaced devices, including photovoltaic (PV) panels, wind generators, and energy storage, are being installed at a fast pace across the electrical grid. Their control system can be programmed to perform a variety of ancillary services. Assessment of these features and their impact on power system operation requires detailed simulations and experimental validation. This article aims at presenting and verifying a control strategy where PV inverters are used as AFs. The innovative aspects of the proposed approach are: the use of detailed network data to represent the behavior of the inverter under real operating conditions, the design of control features to ensure that inverter and transformer ratings are not exceeded, and the assessment of using different measurement points to detect harmonic currents. The article presents the structure of the proposed algorithm, simulation results, and the steps undertaken to carry out the experimental validation.