Dynamic Response and Short-Circuit of Modern Inverter-Based Resources (IBRs)

Synopsis :

Traditional synchronous generators (SGs) directly connected to the grid can provide many services that power engineers have unintentionally disregarded for decades, some of which are part of normal operation and others during fault conditions. During fault conditions, the dynamic performance of the SG can significantly enhance the power system's operation and security. During a short circuit condition, an SG can deliver a significant short circuit contribution naturally based on plain electromagnetic physics; on the other hand, the short-circuit current contribution during a fault, modern renewable energy sources connected to the grid via power electronic converters—also known as inverter-based resources, or IBRs—are highly sensitive to overcurrent, resulting in distinct fault response characteristics. The fault current of an IBR typically has a low amplitude and is controlled by the fast switching of power electronic devices, which are dependent on manufacturer-specific and often proprietary IBR control schemes. The short-circuit current of a traditional SG is typically high in amplitude (several times the rated current), uncontrolled, and primarily defined by the SG's electrical parameters and the short-circuit path impedance. Modern fault analysis techniques and tools utilise a voltage source in conjunction with a linear impedance model to represent an SG. On the other hand, the IBRs cannot use this model, and new advancements have led to industry-accepted short-circuit modelling. This keynote is dedicated to understanding how IBRs behave during dynamic regimes and fault conditions compared to SGs. It also shows the most recent advances in state-of-the-art IBR fault-ride-through (FRT) controls and IBR FRT performance specifications.

Features

Features

Attendees will learn about:

• Controls of IBRs.
• How model IBRs must be modelled.
• How IBRs respond to faults in comparison to SG.
• How certain protection elements are impacted by IBRs.

Speakers

Francisco M. Gonzalez-Longatt

Francisco is currently an academic in Electrical Power Systems at the Centre for Renewable Energy Systems Technology (CREST) at Loughborough University and an invited full professor in electrical power engineering at the University of South-East Norway. He is the founder and leader of the DIgEnSys-Lab = Digital Energy Systems Laboratory and a global research initiative for digital energy systems.

He holds a PhD in Electrical Engineering from the Universidad Central of Venezuela and Postgraduate Certificate in Higher Education Professional Practice from Coventry University.

Throughout his academic career, Francisco has been holding lectures at universities such as: Loughborough University (UK), University of Seville (Spain), Coventry University (UK), Manchester University (UK), Universidad Nacional Politécnico de la Fuerza Armada Nacional (Venezuela), to name a few. Alongside that, he has been a keynote speaker at several international conferences and the chair of IEEE conferences.

He authored over 20 book chapters, more than 100 journal and magazine papers, and upwards of 100 conference papers. As of May 2025, according to Google Scholar, his work has accumulated over 7300 citations, whilst having an h-index of 38.

He is Vice President of the Venezuelan Wind Energy Association, a Senior Member of the Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineering (IEEE), a member of the Institution of Engineering and Technology—the IET (UK), and a CIGRE member. He also holds professional recognition as FHEA—Fellow of the Higher Education Academy.