Optimal Solution for Frequency and Voltage Control of an Islanded Microgrid Using Square Root Gray Wolf Optimization

Voltage and frequency deviation in the islanded operation of a microgrid (MG), due to the uncertainty and lack of inertia in the selection of optimal proportional integral (PI) controller gain, is a challenging task. Although various optimization algorithms have been proposed to achieve this task, most of them require a large number of iterations and are time intensive, making them inefficient for real-time applications. Gray wolf optimization (GWO), a new meta-heuristic algorithm, addresses these issues and has many advantages, including simplicity due to fewer control parameters, flexibility, and globalism. This paper proposes a simple and efficient modified algorithm, called square root gray wolf optimization (SRGWO) algorithm, to realize superior hunting performance. SRGWO is verified using twenty-three benchmark test functions. The algorithm is applied for optimal voltage and frequency regulation of a photovoltaic-based microgrid system operating in the islanded mode during distributed generation insertion and load change conditions. The voltage and frequency gain parameters of the PI controller are optimized. A comparison of the simulation results of the SRGWO algorithm with those of the original gray wolf algorithm (GWO), particle swarm optimization (PSO), augmented gray wolf optimization (AGWO), enhanced gray wolf optimization (EGWO), and gravitational search algorithm (GSA) reveal that the proposed SRGWO algorithm significantly improves system performance while maintaining its simplicity and easy implementation. Furthermore, the SRGWO algorithm obtains the minimum fitness function value in fewer iterations than other algorithms. Moreover, it improves the power quality of the system with regard to minimum total harmonic distortion