Hybrid PSO–Reinforcement Learning-Based Adaptive Virtual Inertia Control for Frequency Stability in Multi-Microgrid PV Systems

The increasing integration of renewable energy sources, particularly photovoltaic (PV) systems, into power grids presents challenges in maintaining frequency stability due to the absence of traditional mechanical inertia. This paper proposes a hybrid control strategy combining Particle Swarm Optimization (PSO) and Reinforcement Learning (RL) to provide Adaptive Virtual Inertia Control for frequency stability in multi-microgrid PV systems. The proposed system dynamically adjusts virtual inertia and damping parameters in response to real-time grid conditions and frequency deviations. The PSO algorithm optimizes the base inertia and damping parameters offline, while the RL algorithm fine-tunes these parameters online by learning from the system’s performance. The adaptive control mechanism effectively mitigates frequency fluctuations and enhances grid synchronization, ensuring stable operation even under varying power generation and load conditions. The hybrid PSO–RL controller demonstrates a superior performance, maintaining a frequency close to nominal (50.02 Hz), with the fastest settling time (0.10 s), minimal RoCoF (0.2 Hz/s), and effectively zero steady-state error. Simulation results demonstrate the effectiveness of the hybrid control approach, showing fast and accurate frequency regulation with minimal power quality degradation. The system’s ability to adapt in real time provides a promising solution for next-generation smart grids that rely on renewable energy sources.