Assessing the impact of voltage control schemes on the penetration level of micro-scale hydroelectric power generation in water distribution systems

One of the biggest challenges of integrating Distributed Generation (DG) within Power Distribution Systems (PDSs) is to accomplish a maximum generation capacity level, while ensuring operational reliability and service quality. The Hydro-Turbines (H-Ts) in Water Distribution Systems (WDSs), specifically, are DGs that may regulate water pressure while injecting a substantial amount of renewable energy to the PDS. In terms of modeling, they work as links between the WDS and PDS models. In this paper, the impact of centralized and distributed voltage control on the penetration of pressure regulating H-Ts in a PDS, is studied. The two voltage control approaches are incorporated within a co-optimization model that includes both WDS and PDS. Simulation results demonstrate that local intelligent voltage control mitigates many of the disadvantages of currently used Power Factor Control (PFC), without the technical complexities involved in a central control scheme: renewable H-T generation penetration increases, but water pressure regulation does not deteriorate.