Battery-Assisted Unified Power Quality Conditioner for Power Quality Improvement in Tidal-Driven Seaport Microgrids

Recent advancements in power electronics have facilitated the integration of Marine Renewable Energy (MRE) sources, particularly tidal power, into seaport micro-grids-enhancing energy efficiency and operational resilience. However, the variable and intermittent nature of tidal generation introduces significant Power Quality (PQ) challenges, especially in environments with high penetration of nonlinear loads. These issues manifest as voltage fluctuations, harmonics, and frequency deviations, affecting system stability and the performance of sensitive equipment in both seaport and shipboard contexts. To address these concerns, this study employs a batteryassisted Unified Power Quality Conditioner (UPQC) to improve PQ across the tidal-powered seaport microgrid. The UPQC mitigates voltage and current disturbances through coordinated series-shunt compensation, while the integrated battery system supports reactive power and stabilizes the DC link during transients and generation variability. A high-fidelity MATLAB/Simulink model is developed to evaluate system performance under varying tidal conditions and nonlinear load scenarios. Simulation results confirm that the proposed configuration significantly reduces harmonic distortion and voltage deviations, ensuring smooth and reliable power delivery and improved grid stability.