High temperature superconducting fault current limiters as enabling technology in electrical grids with increased distributed generation penetration

Amongst applications of high temperature superconductors, fault current limiters are foreseen as one of the most promising in power systems. Several topologies have been developed in the last years, taking advantage of different superconductors' properties. Increasing distributed generation (DG) penetration, based on renewable energy, adds new short-circuit sources to electrical grids, which brings several energy quality and protection issues. Superconducting fault current limiters can obviate these problems, representing thus an enabling technology for DG penetration. In this paper current limiter topologies are presented, its operations principles, strengths and weaknesses, in the context of these DG grids. In the end, future trends are discussed. © 2010 Springer Berlin Heidelberg.