Customer voltage sensitivity analysis to facilitate reliability and PV hosting capacity in LV networks

Abstract

This paper further contributes to key aspects of voltage regulation in low voltage (LV) networks, with increased levels of distributed generation, and in particular with a diverse range of solar photovoltaic (PV) penetration. This topic has been the subject of extensive research, with beneficial impacts expected up to a certain point when overvoltage and reverse power flows begin to negatively impact the distribution system. This paper proposes a novel approach to analysing the risk and reliability of the LV supply feeder, as well as its PV hosting capacity, by using novel voltage-based reliability indices, which are directly comparable to results from a conventional reliability assessment. A voltage sensitivity analysis is performed on an LV network model and a deterministic reliability assessment is conducted to ascertain the sustained and transient frequency and duration of interruptions to customers when voltages violate the regulator-set limits. Simulations of the network operation are done for the different PV scenarios and the impacts of increased PV penetration and location on the feeder are investigated. The proposed approach provides a comprehensive analysis of quality of service by considering transient events (i.e., voltage related) in the LV distribution network as opposed to the conventional reliability assessment, which considers sustained interruptions to customers caused only by the failure of network components.