Increasing the RES hosting capacity of the Cyprus distribution system

The Renewable Energy Sources (RES) penetration in the power system of Cyprus has dramatically increased over the last years. As a result, the system is already facing significant challenges limiting the RES hosting capacity of the Distribution Network (DN). The major limitation factors are network congestion and voltage security. In this paper, alternative solutions for increasing the RES hosting capacity in DNs are reviewed, and a methodology is introduced to evaluate their effectiveness. More specifically, different inverter settings and an advanced centralised voltage control from power transformers are used to mitigate voltage-related issues, while network reinforcements and upgrading the operating voltage are considered for further increase in hosting capacity. The solutions and evaluation methodology are tested using a real MV network of the Cyprus distribution system and the strategic plan of the Cyprus Distribution System Operator (DSO) for maximizing RES hosting capacity is outlined.