Pioneering Next-Generation Smart Grids

Power systems are going through a paradigm shift, due to the addition of numerous non-synchronous distributed generators, such as wind turbines and solar farms, and active loads connected through power electronic converters. This imposes unprecedented challenges to the stable and reliable operation of future power systems. It is shown that power electronic converters can be controlled to behave as virtual synchronous machines, also called cyber synchronous machines. This unifies and harmonizes the grid integration of all active players on the supply side, inside the network and on the load side with the synchronization mechanism of synchronous machines, leading to a unified lateral system architecture for next-generation smart grids. It also shifts the operation of power systems from centralized control to democratized interaction. A prominent feature of the next-generation smart grids governed by this architecture is that the low-level control of the distributed generators and active loads does not rely on communication, which significantly reduces cost and improves reliability and security. Another prominent feature is that the power electronic converters do not need a dedicated synchronization unit, which considerably improves performance.