Unified advanced vector control for enabling higher penetration of converter-based renewable energy

The shift toward sustainable renewable energy coming with converter-based generation has significantly reduced system inertia introducing serious challenges in maintaining voltage and frequency stability, particularly under weak grid conditions with low short-circuit ratios. While grid-forming converters are under active development to address these issues, there remain challenges to overcome on the road to maturity and widespread commercial deployment. Our proposed solution, Unified Advanced Vector Control (UAVC), is specifically designed to operate with grid-following converters – and can be added as a software-only retrofit to converters already in service. Adding UAVC enhances converters’ stability and, in many cases, reduces or eliminates the need for expensive reactive compensation devices such as synchronous condensers.