This paper proposes a fast and precise voltage feedback-based islanding detection method (IDM) for grid connected photovoltaic systems (GCPVSs) based microgrid. In this algorithm, a disturbance containing the absolute deviation of the output voltage is injected into the inverter’s d–axis reference current which tunes the active power output. In islanded mode, the applied disturbance reduces the active power output and consequently point of common coupling (PCC) voltage beyond the standard setting while its effect at the presence of the grid is negligible. The assessment of the proposed IDM has been conducted in the MATLAB/Simulink platform under extensive scenarios defined by IEEE 1547-2008 and UL 1741 standards for a case study system with two large-scale GCPVSs. The provided outputs remark accurate islanding classification in all cases within 810 ms, much lower than the maximum permissible time postulated in islanding standards. This time is short enough to restore GCPVS for autonomous operation of microgrid as well. The comparative analysis of the proposed strategy with a few existing IDMs confirmed its overall superiorities in the terms of non-detection zone (NDZ), detection time, being applicable into the microgrid, simple threshold determination, and straightforward and cost-effective implementation.

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