Research Projects

The global shift toward renewable energy is transforming the landscape of electric distribution systems. In this context, hybrid AC-DC microgrids have emerged as a promising solution, particularly for remote areas such as military bases, islands, and other off-grid locations. Such a system leverages 100% renewable energy sources, combining the advantages of both AC and DC grids to optimize efficiency and flexibility. With India’s “National Green Hydrogen Mission,” which prioritizes the adoption of hydrogen as a clean energy carrier, by integrating hydrogen storage systems, hybrid microgrids can enhance energy reliability while reducing dependence on fossil fuels. Despite their advantages, the response of hydrogen storage systems during grid disturbances is not well understood. Events such as faults, load switching, and inverter failures can cause significant voltage and current fluctuations at the storage terminals. Understanding these dynamics is crucial for designing robust control and protection strategies. This project will characterize the behaviour of hydrogen storage systems under various disturbance scenarios, providing insights into their integration into hybrid microgrids. The black start process is complex, especially in renewable-based systems where grid-forming inverters are responsible for establishing the voltage and frequency references. The absence of traditional synchronous machines complicates the dynamics of black start operations. This proposal aims to address these challenges by developing black start solutions using inverter-based resources. To ensure the practical applicability of the proposed solutions, the project will validate the algorithms using a real-time Power Hardware-in-the-Loop (PHIL) platform. The PHIL platform provides a realistic testing environment where the proposed strategies can be evaluated under various operating conditions and fault scenarios.