Maintaining the electrical distribution grid network reliability with distributed photovoltaic generations

Green energy supply can be achieved by integrating intermittent renewable energy resources into the electrical distribution network. The intermittent nature of solar power generation presents significant technical challenges for integration that affect the network reliability and stability in relation to the grid power quality and voltage profile. Maximum utilization of photovoltaic in the electrical distribution network requires siting and sizing optimization. Distribution and transmission lines incur voltage drops and power losses due to their reactive and resistive properties. Application of evolutionary optimization techniques is adopted for optimal photovoltaic distributed generations placement in an electrical distribution network. Improved network voltage profile and system reliability was achieved by the application of particle swarm optimization algorithm to minimize the system’s power losses in a radial distribution network-IEEE 33-bus system. This was achieved through a MATLAB code implementation, with validation of the solution techniques and the developed model realized through a genetic algorithm case study. The active and reactive total loads linked to the network test system were 3.720 MW and 2.310 MVAr, accordingly. The conversion of solar power was modeled at a constant power factor with cut-off solar radiation ≥ 4.0 kWh/m2/day under normal operating conditions. As an initial configuration, active and reactive power losses were found as 211.02 kW and 143.04 kVAr without photovoltaic distributed generation at 0.85 pf, respectively. Integration of solar distributed generations at optimal location and capacity resulted in reduction of the network power losses by 57.98% reactive and 61.60% active. Improvement in voltage profile attained was 8.46%, while the ASAI network reliability index value before integrating solar source was 0.99734 p.u. but improved by 1.82% on installation. In conclusion, the system’s power losses reduced as acceptable voltage profile was maintained for sustained distribution network reliability.