Analysis of Virtual Load Damping Provision from IBR-Dominated Distribution Networks

Virtual load damping is a valid alternative to virtual inertia to ensure frequency support in low-inertia power systems. We show that virtual load damping can be provided by multiple small power/capacity inverter-based resources. This can be obtained by exploiting inverter-based resources installed at domestic utilities in distribution feeders, which integrate renewable energy sources. Assessing the impact of these units on frequency requires changing the paradigm used to study power grid stability, since feeders need to be simulated in detail and cannot be represented with equivalent load models anymore, as was done in the past. Time-domain analyses of modified versions of the IEEE 14-BUS and MINIWECC power system benchmarks, obtained by the addition of several feeders in different virtual load damping scenarios, are included to support our claims.