Distributed Photovoltaic Inverters’ Response to Voltage Phase-Angle Jump

Abstract

The rapid increase in the installation of distributed photovoltaic (DPV) systems has led to an increased interest in modeling and analyzing residential inverters to understand their behavior and thereby understand the corresponding challenges to the distribution system. This article provides extensive experimental evidence on the behavior of 31 off-the-shelf residential DPV inverters under different voltage phase-angle jump disturbance conditions. The undesirable behavior from DPV inverters is classified into disconnection and power curtailment. Such types of behavior potentially threaten the operation of highly penetrated systems because a large portfolio of generation can suddenly disconnect, leaving a large contingency to be satisfied. The reasons behind these undesirable behaviors are explored in this article and are based on the experimental inverter responses. The outcomes from this research have been far-reaching, including a necessary update to the Australian standard for grid-connected inverters, the emergency voltage disturbance ride-through tests enforced in the state of South Australia, and provided essential behaviors and data for a load-PV composite model for the market operator (Australian Energy Market Operators) in Australia. Additionally, with 22 inverters demonstrating low or no tolerance to voltage phase-angle jump, this work provides insights to guide inverter responses and protection requirements and standards development for networks with high penetration of DPVs, making a valuable case study for the international audience who may face the high penetration of DPV inverters as in Australian states.