Efficient Static Security Assessment of Microgrids Through Practical Feasibility Region Definition

Smart microgrids are playing an increasingly important role in accommodating ever-larger amounts of nonprogrammable renewable sources. However, they are also involved in providing ancillary services for the flexibility of distribution networks. As a consequence, microgrids are operated in conditions of potential vulnerability for themselves, and may even constitute a danger for the larger networks to which they are connected. However, their operational complexity poses challenges for assessing system’s feasibility and identifying potential vulnerabilities. This paper introduces a static security assessment for microgrids using a convex-concave hull method to define a feasible operating region within the voltage range established by protection relays. This method geometrically evaluates whether operating points fall within this region, ensuring feasibility. Additionally, a projection control method transfers non-feasible operating points into the feasible region, maintaining compliance with feasibility requirements. Unlike traditional methods, this approach avoids reliance on extensive datasets and ongoing training, provided the system’s structure remains unchanged. It enables proactive and rapid security assessments by using a geometric analysis of the feasible region, eliminating the need for computationally intensive studies. The suggested method was validated through simulations based on a case study replicating a portion of the experimental microgrid at the PrInCE laboratory of the Polytechnic University of Bari, demonstrating its effectiveness.