islanding

Islanding occurs when a distributed energy system, like a solar panel setup with a local generator, continues to power a building even when the main utility grid is down. This happens if the system detects the grid failure and switches to island mode, supplying electricity independently. While beneficial for reliability, islanding can pose safety risks to utility workers and complicate grid maintenance. Therefore, protective devices are designed to detect and disconnect the system from the grid during outages, preventing unintended islanding and ensuring safe, reliable power management.