A Volt-var and Volt-Watt control local method for PV distributed generators in modern electric power distribution systems

• Grant number: 22/11103-4
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships abroad - Research Internship - Doctorate
• Effective date (Start): December 01, 2022
• Effective date (End): November 30, 2023
• Field of knowledge: Engineering - Electrical Engineering - Power Systems
• Principal Investigator: Walmir de Freitas Filho
• Grantee: Bárbara Resende Rosado
• Supervisor: Bala Venkatesh
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Engenharia Elétrica e de Computação (FEEC). Universidade Estadual de Campinas (UNICAMP). Campinas , SP, Brazil
• Research place: Toronto Metropolitan University (TMU), Canada
• Associated to the scholarship: 20/10043-2 - Data Analytics for Condition Monitoring in Modern Electric Power Distribution Systems, BP.DR

Abstract

Modern power distribution systems have migrated from a passive, non-supervised structure with low level of automation to an active, supervised structure with high level of automation due to the introduction of photovoltaic generators, dispersed smart meters, and new automatic control devices. In the case of photovoltaic generation, for instance, the world installed capacity reached around 1 TW, and, in Brazil, there are more than 1 million units in operation, achieving more than 11 GW. Despite the technical and environmental advantages of this change, with the introduction of these emerging technologies, new challenges and technical issues may arise, such as overvoltage and conductor overload. For that matter, the smart inverters can perform grid support functions, such as voltage regulation, besides the measurement and communication capability. Although modern distribution systems can feature multiple devices performing voltage control actions to solve voltage issues, customer-side solutions such as controlling the PV inverter output can collectively share this responsibility at the main target by employing local measurement data, and, thus, contribute to increasing the PV systems hosting capacity. Further, a big challenge is to properly provide control functions without conflicts in a system where the different connected equipment do not have communication capability between themselves and also operate on different time scales. In this context, the objective of this BEPE-DR project is to develop a Volt-var and Volt-Watt local control method for modern PV systems connected to medium and low-voltage distribution systems based on the data provided by the measurement infrastructure available in the smart inverters, i.e., by employing measured voltage and its sensitivity. Extensive time-series power flow studies will be used and an Optimal Power Flow will be implemented to validate the proposed method. (AU)