IEEE Power & Energy Magazine - March/April 2015 - 47

✔✔ The specific configuration of the interconnection

system, such as its step-up transformer topology and
grounding practices and its proximity to conventional
voltage control devices on distribution systems (e.g.,
line voltage regulators, shunt capacitors, and so on), is
grossly simplified.
✔✔ The impact of multiple homogeneous or heterogeneous devices operating in parallel or in each other's
vicinity is ignored.
✔✔ The device's ability to be operated and controlled
through communication schemes is ignored.
Currently, inverter manufacturers do not provide detailed
models of their inverter designs and internal control schemes.
Without this information, many of the aforementioned system
impacts cannot be readily investigated and clearly evaluated.
It is understood that there will always be limitations on how
much can be modeled and that transient study approaches may
not cover every condition that can occur. Nonetheless, new initiatives by the IEEE 1547 working group and several state and
federal regulatory agencies are currently in progress to define
new testing methodologies and processes that can capture and
verify the complex nature of smart inverters in terms of their
impact on an area EPS and take into account the impact of the
communications infrastructure and control settings they use.
These efforts are currently in the early stages of development
and will require the extensive involvement of stakeholders and
experts from utilities, industry, and vendors if they are to determine precise and widely accepted testing methodologies.
Until such issues are addressed, utilities have been
focusing on applications and utilizations of real-time hardware-in-loop (HIL) testing approaches for detailed evaluation of intelligent electronic devices and power electronic

S3

Simulated
Utility
R

600 Vdc

L

C

Inverter

figure 5. The UL 1741 inverter testing method, with load
banks (in the middle) and a voltage source (simulated utility).

equipment involving complex control, protection, and fastacting power electronics.

Real-Time Digital Simulation Testing
Power hardware-in-loop (PHIL) testing uses real-time digital
simulation systems like those available from RTDS Technologies and provides the ability to interface off-the-shelf commercial inverters and power electronic devices in the simulation
environment for closed-loop testing. PHIL allows for the creation of realistic test conditions that from the inverter's point of
view are indistinguishable from those in the field. This approach
permits an accurate observation of inverter control responses
and a full assessment of a device's impact on the system.
A typical PHIL setup for PV inverter testing is shown
in Figure 6. In this figure, the device under test (DUT) is a
100-kW PV inverter developed for the North American market. The inverter comes with an internal 480-V ac isolation
transformer. The 480-V, three-phase connections for the

Device Under Test
(Commercial PV/Wind Inverter)

PV Simulator

S2

S1

480 Vac

RTDS
Grid Simulator

POI
Voltage
(±10 V)

Inverter
Currents
(±10 V)

Inverter Control and
Communications

figure 6. An example of a PHIL setup.
march/april 2015

ieee power & energy magazine

47



Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of IEEE Power & Energy Magazine - March/April 2015

IEEE Power & Energy Magazine - March/April 2015 - Cover1
IEEE Power & Energy Magazine - March/April 2015 - Cover2
IEEE Power & Energy Magazine - March/April 2015 - 1
IEEE Power & Energy Magazine - March/April 2015 - 2
IEEE Power & Energy Magazine - March/April 2015 - 3
IEEE Power & Energy Magazine - March/April 2015 - 4
IEEE Power & Energy Magazine - March/April 2015 - 5
IEEE Power & Energy Magazine - March/April 2015 - 6
IEEE Power & Energy Magazine - March/April 2015 - 7
IEEE Power & Energy Magazine - March/April 2015 - 8
IEEE Power & Energy Magazine - March/April 2015 - 9
IEEE Power & Energy Magazine - March/April 2015 - 10
IEEE Power & Energy Magazine - March/April 2015 - 11
IEEE Power & Energy Magazine - March/April 2015 - 12
IEEE Power & Energy Magazine - March/April 2015 - 13
IEEE Power & Energy Magazine - March/April 2015 - 14
IEEE Power & Energy Magazine - March/April 2015 - 15
IEEE Power & Energy Magazine - March/April 2015 - 16
IEEE Power & Energy Magazine - March/April 2015 - 17
IEEE Power & Energy Magazine - March/April 2015 - 18
IEEE Power & Energy Magazine - March/April 2015 - 19
IEEE Power & Energy Magazine - March/April 2015 - 20
IEEE Power & Energy Magazine - March/April 2015 - 21
IEEE Power & Energy Magazine - March/April 2015 - 22
IEEE Power & Energy Magazine - March/April 2015 - 23
IEEE Power & Energy Magazine - March/April 2015 - 24
IEEE Power & Energy Magazine - March/April 2015 - 25
IEEE Power & Energy Magazine - March/April 2015 - 26
IEEE Power & Energy Magazine - March/April 2015 - 27
IEEE Power & Energy Magazine - March/April 2015 - 28
IEEE Power & Energy Magazine - March/April 2015 - 29
IEEE Power & Energy Magazine - March/April 2015 - 30
IEEE Power & Energy Magazine - March/April 2015 - 31
IEEE Power & Energy Magazine - March/April 2015 - 32
IEEE Power & Energy Magazine - March/April 2015 - 33
IEEE Power & Energy Magazine - March/April 2015 - 34
IEEE Power & Energy Magazine - March/April 2015 - 35
IEEE Power & Energy Magazine - March/April 2015 - 36
IEEE Power & Energy Magazine - March/April 2015 - 37
IEEE Power & Energy Magazine - March/April 2015 - 38
IEEE Power & Energy Magazine - March/April 2015 - 39
IEEE Power & Energy Magazine - March/April 2015 - 40
IEEE Power & Energy Magazine - March/April 2015 - 41
IEEE Power & Energy Magazine - March/April 2015 - 42
IEEE Power & Energy Magazine - March/April 2015 - 43
IEEE Power & Energy Magazine - March/April 2015 - 44
IEEE Power & Energy Magazine - March/April 2015 - 45
IEEE Power & Energy Magazine - March/April 2015 - 46
IEEE Power & Energy Magazine - March/April 2015 - 47
IEEE Power & Energy Magazine - March/April 2015 - 48
IEEE Power & Energy Magazine - March/April 2015 - 49
IEEE Power & Energy Magazine - March/April 2015 - 50
IEEE Power & Energy Magazine - March/April 2015 - 51
IEEE Power & Energy Magazine - March/April 2015 - 52
IEEE Power & Energy Magazine - March/April 2015 - 53
IEEE Power & Energy Magazine - March/April 2015 - 54
IEEE Power & Energy Magazine - March/April 2015 - 55
IEEE Power & Energy Magazine - March/April 2015 - 56
IEEE Power & Energy Magazine - March/April 2015 - 57
IEEE Power & Energy Magazine - March/April 2015 - 58
IEEE Power & Energy Magazine - March/April 2015 - 59
IEEE Power & Energy Magazine - March/April 2015 - 60
IEEE Power & Energy Magazine - March/April 2015 - 61
IEEE Power & Energy Magazine - March/April 2015 - 62
IEEE Power & Energy Magazine - March/April 2015 - 63
IEEE Power & Energy Magazine - March/April 2015 - 64
IEEE Power & Energy Magazine - March/April 2015 - 65
IEEE Power & Energy Magazine - March/April 2015 - 66
IEEE Power & Energy Magazine - March/April 2015 - 67
IEEE Power & Energy Magazine - March/April 2015 - 68
IEEE Power & Energy Magazine - March/April 2015 - 69
IEEE Power & Energy Magazine - March/April 2015 - 70
IEEE Power & Energy Magazine - March/April 2015 - 71
IEEE Power & Energy Magazine - March/April 2015 - 72
IEEE Power & Energy Magazine - March/April 2015 - 73
IEEE Power & Energy Magazine - March/April 2015 - 74
IEEE Power & Energy Magazine - March/April 2015 - 75
IEEE Power & Energy Magazine - March/April 2015 - 76
IEEE Power & Energy Magazine - March/April 2015 - 77
IEEE Power & Energy Magazine - March/April 2015 - 78
IEEE Power & Energy Magazine - March/April 2015 - 79
IEEE Power & Energy Magazine - March/April 2015 - 80
IEEE Power & Energy Magazine - March/April 2015 - 81
IEEE Power & Energy Magazine - March/April 2015 - 82
IEEE Power & Energy Magazine - March/April 2015 - 83
IEEE Power & Energy Magazine - March/April 2015 - 84
IEEE Power & Energy Magazine - March/April 2015 - 85
IEEE Power & Energy Magazine - March/April 2015 - 86
IEEE Power & Energy Magazine - March/April 2015 - 87
IEEE Power & Energy Magazine - March/April 2015 - 88
IEEE Power & Energy Magazine - March/April 2015 - 89
IEEE Power & Energy Magazine - March/April 2015 - 90
IEEE Power & Energy Magazine - March/April 2015 - 91
IEEE Power & Energy Magazine - March/April 2015 - 92
IEEE Power & Energy Magazine - March/April 2015 - 93
IEEE Power & Energy Magazine - March/April 2015 - 94
IEEE Power & Energy Magazine - March/April 2015 - 95
IEEE Power & Energy Magazine - March/April 2015 - 96
IEEE Power & Energy Magazine - March/April 2015 - Cover3
IEEE Power & Energy Magazine - March/April 2015 - Cover4
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pes/powerenergy_091020
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pes/powerenergy_070820
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pes/powerenergy_050620
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pes/powerenergy_030420
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pes/powerenergy_010220
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pes/powerenergy_111219
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pes/powerenergy_091019
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pes/powerenergy_070819
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pes/powerenergy_050619
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pes/powerenergy_030419
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pes/powerenergy_010219
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pes/powerenergy_111218
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pes/powerenergy_091018
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pes/powerenergy_070818
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pes/powerenergy_050618
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pes/powerenergy_030418
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pes/powerenergy_010218
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pes/powerenergy_111217
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pes/powerenergy_091017
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pes/powerenergy_070817
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pes/powerenergy_050617
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pes/powerenergy_030417
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pes/powerenergy_010217
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pes/powerenergy_111216
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pes/powerenergy_091016
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pes/powerenergy_070816
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pes/powerenergy_050616
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pes/powerenergy_030416
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pes/powerenergy_010216
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ieee/powerenergy_010216
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pes/powerenergy_111215
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pes/powerenergy_091015
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pes/powerenergy_070815
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pes/powerenergy_050615
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pes/powerenergy_030415
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pes/powerenergy_010215
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pes/powerenergy_111214
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pes/powerenergy_091014
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pes/powerenergy_070814
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pes/powerenergy_050614
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pes/powerenergy_030414
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/pes/powerenergy_010214
https://www.nxtbookmedia.com