REACTIVE POWER CONTROL FOR VOLTAGE FLUCTUATIONS MITIGATION AND POWER LOSS REDUCTION UNDER HIGH PHOTOVOLTAIC PENETRATION IN THE EGYPTIAN DISTRIBUTION NETWORKS

Abstract

The increasing penetration levels of distributed photovoltaic (PV) generation in the Egyptian Electrical Distribution Networks presents many challenges and opportunities for the Distribution Utilities. In practice, it has been found that several problems arise, with the ever increasing PV penetration at a distribution system and connected with the low voltage (LV) grid. One of the main troubles is the voltage fluctuations at the distribution network buses. Further the voltage drop and the power losses increase. Therefore, the controlled PV systems that are connected to the grid can participate to enhance the voltage especially at the grid end, keeping the voltage at accepted value. Thus, this thesis focuses on the optimal methods to controlling line voltage of distribution grids especially with the PV generation penetration, without need to infrastructure, also, this thesis illustrates the impacting of PVs spread on distribution transformer performance, and lifetime under these conditions Here, the system is simulated using the MATLAB/Simulink and the study is carried out using several methods. By utilizing a controlled solar inverter, the reactive power (Q) control could be achieved as instituted by certain network codes. This method, which is based on the grid voltage profile for locations – dependent of power factor (PF), setting premium, could be allocated to the whole solar inverters. The main target is to mitigate unnecessary Q absorption. This method combines two droop function